WALES

Public Expenditure

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the draw-down by the National Assembly for Wales of its allocation under EU structural funds on top of its Barnett-determined budget resulted in a reconciliation deduction in the overall block grant for Wales in each year since 2005.

Peter Hain: Until 2005-06 departmental expenditure limits only included the expenditure element of EU structural funds and additions were made to the Wales departmental expenditure limit beyond the Barnett Formula. The receipts were paid separately to the National Assembly for Wales and were therefore identified separately in the calculation of the block grant.
	From 2006-07 the budgeting arrangements for EU receipts changed and departmental expenditure limits were expressed net of EU receipts. Thus no deduction is now necessary. The receipts continue to be paid into the Welsh Consolidated Fund and are additional to the block grant.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average length of the growing season was in each county of England in  (a) 1978,  (b) 1988,  (c) 1998 and  (d) 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The growing season is the period of time each year during which plants can grow. The thermal growing season length is defined as beginning when the temperature on five consecutive days exceeds 5° C and ending when the temperature on five consecutive days is below that threshold.
	Meteorological Office information shows that the average length of growing season in central England was  (a) 223 days in 1978 (249 days on average 1969 to 1978)  (b) 258 days in 1988 (248 days on average 1979 to 1988)  (c) 213 days in 1998 (270 days on average 1989 to 1998) and  (d) 249 days in 2008 (279 days on average 1999 to 2008). It should be noted that there can be considerable variation from year to year. Data on the length of growing season at county level are not available.

Agriculture

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to  (a) assess and  (b) tackle the environmental and social effects of intensive meat and dairy industries; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We constantly strive to maximise the positive and mitigate the negative effects of all agricultural production by working closely with industry to ensure our food is produced in a sustainable and affordable way. We are also keen to maintain a thriving farming and food sector which can improve its net impact on a healthy, resilient, productive and diverse natural environment.
	For example, in addition to ensuring compliance with new environmental regulations, DEFRA is working with the agricultural industry to deliver improvements through the Milk Roadmap and the industry led Beef and Lamb Roadmap, as well as stimulating initiatives on enhancing environmental performance in the pig industry through the work of the Pigmeat Supply Chain Task Force. Each activity aims to target the reduction of environmental and climate change impacts and assess the positive benefits to the landscape and biodiversity of animal husbandry while also highlighting any areas for further research and improvement.

Batteries: Recycling

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the percentage of batteries were recycled in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many  (a) car batteries and  (b) alkaline batteries were purchased in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many such batteries were (i) disposed of by (A) landfill, (B) incineration and (C) other means were (ii) recycled and (iii) reused in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many spent batteries other than vehicle batteries entered the waste stream in the last 12 months; what mass of each heavy metal was used in those batteries; and what percentage of such batteries were recycled.

Dan Norris: This information has not been collected centrally in the past. The new Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations (SI 890/2009) will provide such data in the future. Our best estimates for the quantity of batteries on the UK market and recycled are contained in the Impact Assessment published with the Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009:
	http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/em/uksiem_20090890_en.pdf
	We estimate that the annual UK market for. portable batteries is around 30,000 tonnes. Market reports suggest that more than 70 per cent. of retail sales are alkaline batteries. Only about 3 per cent. of waste portable batteries are thought to be recycled currently.
	The most recent estimate of the car batteries market is that about 131,000 tonnes of car batteries were placed on the market in 2006. This is thought to be rising annually.
	About 143,000 tonnes of waste arise from car batteries annually. About 60 per cent. of a lead-acid battery-the type typically used in cars-is lead. We estimate that about 99 per cent. of this is recycled annually.
	The amount of industrial batteries sold in the UK in 2006 is estimated to be about 69,000 tonnes.
	About 34,000 tonnes of waste arises from industrial batteries annually and it is estimated that about 32,000 tonnes are recycled. We do not have estimates of the amount of heavy metals in industrial or portable batteries.
	Few if any batteries will be reused when they become waste because common practice is to dispose of batteries when they are spent.

Birds: Imports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many birds were seized by HM Revenue and Customs under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species in each year since 2000.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	The following table provides data, from HM Revenue and Customs central records, for specimens seized for years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08.
	
		
			  Birds 
			   Number of specimens seized 
			 2005-06 310 
			 2006-07 3 
			 2007-08 0 
		
	
	These birds were seized using customs enforcement powers in relation to live animals listed as endangered species under Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora.
	For the years 2000 to 2004-05 information on all CITES specimens seized by the former HM Customs and Excise can be found on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/trade-crime/cites/action-uk.htm#enforcement
	Further breakdown of the 2000 to 2004-05 figures can be achieved only at a disproportionate cost.

Coastal Areas: Flood Control

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's policy is on the procurement of timber for use in sea defence projects; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Since 2000, UK Government Departments have sought to procure products made from timber that is legally harvested and grown in sustainably managed forests or plantations. From April 2009, UK Government departments will now only accept timber that has been verified as legal and sustainable, or licensed under Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreements.
	Most of the work on sea defences is undertaken by the Environment Agency and they purchase all timber in accordance with the Government's timber procurement policy. In addition, timber is purchased whenever available, from one of the five Category A accredited certification scheme sources recognised by the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. Limited evidence prohibits this approach being used for tropical hardwood, here, in line with Government policy; the Environment Agency obtain evidence demonstrating legality, sustainability and traceability through the supply chain (Category B evidence).

Coastal Areas: Flood Control

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what sea defence projects involving the use of timber for construction his Department plans to fund in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2011-12.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table shows coastal defence projects on which authorities are likely to incur expenditure in any of the years 2009-11, 2010-11 and 2011-12 and where timber is likely to form a significant part of the works. The table is based on forward planning project information, so should be regarded as indicative rather than definitive.
	
		
			  Project Title  Lead  a uthority  Estimated  c onstruction  s tart 
			 East Clough Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Brightlingsea Tidal Defences Phase 2 Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Broadland Environment Agency Ongoing 
			 Broomhill Sands Coastal Defence Scheme Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Denge Environment Agency 2009-10 
			 Denver Little Eyes Sluice Environment Agency 2008-09 
			 Donna Nook Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Dymchurch Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Folkestone To Cliff End Schemes Package Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Great Yarmouth Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Happisburgh/Winterton 3B Works Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 High Knocke to Dymchurch Sea Defence Environment Agency 2009-10 
			 Hunstanton/Heacham Beach Management Environment Agency 2007-08 
			 Lancing Brook Outfall Reconstruction Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Lincshore 2005 to 2010 Environment Agency 2005-06 
			 Lincshore 2010 to 2015 Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Med merry Managed Realignment Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Pett Shingle Renourishment Phase 2-6 Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Pevensey Bay Outfalls Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Pevensey Bay Environment Agency Ongoing 
			 Redcar Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Sandwich Bay Sea Defences (Deal) (Note start may be early 2012-13) Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Seasalter Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Shaldon and Ringmore Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Stanah Sea Defences Environment Agency 2008-09 
			 Steart Managed Realignment Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Swinefleet Environment Agency 2009-10 
			 Teignmouth Estuary (Back Beach) Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Thornton - Cleveleys (Local Authority led scheme with Environment Agency Contribution) Environment Agency 2011-12 
			 Walberswick to Dunwich Frontage Environment Agency 2010-11 
			 Ageing Groynes - Selsey - 9-10 Chichester Council 2009-10 
			 Worthing Worthing Council 2009-10

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2009,  Official Report, column 484W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies have paid in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Dan Norris: The Department does not hold information regarding payments made to suppliers under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1988 by the Department's Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPB). Each NDPB is required to publish such payments in their independent annual accounts.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what categories of personal information on members of the public are contained on each database which contains such data managed by his Department and its agencies; when each category of information was first collected; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) Information Asset register provides detail on many of the databases, including those containing personal data, managed by the Department. This register is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/opengov/defra/available/iar/index.htm
	The additional details requested about these assets, and full details of databases not included in the Information Asset Register, are not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All databases containing personal data maintained by DEFRA are in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Following the publication of the cross Government data handling review in June 2008, staff establishing new projects and programmes in the Department that hold significant amounts of personal data are obliged to conduct privacy impact assessments.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on members of the public; on what date each such database became operational; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA's) information asset register provides detail on many of the databases, including those containing personal data, managed by the Department. This register is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/opengov/defra/available/iar/index.htm
	The additional details requested about these assets, and full details of databases not included in the information asset register, are not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All databases containing personal data maintained by DEFRA are in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Following the publication of the cross-Government data handling review in June 2008, staff establishing new projects and programmes in the Department that hold significant amounts of personal data are obliged to conduct privacy impact assessments.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the planned databases that will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies and which will hold personal information on members of the public are expected to become operational in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: Information about which of the planned databases that will be managed by the Department or any of its agencies and which will hold personal information on members of the public that are expected to become operational in each of the next five years can be provided only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
	Routine assurance of database developments during the business planning cycle ensures that any planned databases containing personal information are identified before development commences and referred to the departmental data protection team to ensure that they adhere to the Data Protection Act.
	Moreover, following the publication of the cross-Government data handling review in June 2008, staff establishing new projects and programmes that hold significant amounts of personal data are obliged to conduct privacy impact assessments.

Departmental Work Experience

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid graduate internships his Department has awarded in each of the last six months.

Dan Norris: In each of the last six months the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has awarded no graduate internships, on either a paid or unpaid basis.
	Five graduate internships commenced placements with DEFRA on 6 July 2009, three via the Cabinet Office Summer Development Programme (ethnic minorities) and two from the Summer Placement Scheme (disability). All interns are engaged on a paid basis at executive officer level.
	DEFRA is actively exploring ways of increasing its graduate internship numbers via HMG's Public Sector Jobs imperatives, and we are registered as an organisation with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Graduate Talent Pool online matching programme.
	We anticipate recruiting graduate interns via the Cabinet Office schemes mentioned above in 2010.

EC Law

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the proportion of statutory obligations provided for by legislation on matters for which his Department is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dan Norris: It is very difficult to provide precise figures for the proportion of UK legislation that stems from the European Union.
	The administrative burdens measurement exercise carried out by the Government in 2006 put the proportion of administrative burdens stemming from the EU at approximately one third of the total administrative burden.
	The important thing is not the origins of a legislation, which could of course be a devolved administration or a local authority, as well as the Government or the EU, but the quality of the regulation. All regulations, irrespective of their origins, should comply with the principles of better regulation. Regulations should be risk based, proportionate and well designed, so as to achieve their objectives while also keeping costs to a minimum. The Government continue to work with European partners to ensure that EU regulations meet these standards.

Environment Protection: Public Opinion

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what publicly-funded research has been undertaken by his Department into  (a) levels of public interest in and  (b) public attitudes towards environmental issues in the last five years.

Dan Norris: The list details the research projects that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has undertaken to assess levels of public interest in and public attitudes towards environmental issues in the last five years.
	This list includes projects commissioned by DEFRA's Sustainable Behaviours Unit and also projects commissioned through the Central Office of Information.
	 2004-05
	Climate Change Desk Research (attitudes)
	 2005-06
	Public Attitudes to Climate Change Waves 1, 2 and 3
	Public tracking
	 2006-07
	Public attitudes to Climate Change Waves 4 and 5
	Youth Climate Change omnibus
	Approach to ecosystems
	Public understanding of sustainable finance and investment
	Public understanding of sustainable consumption of food
	Public understanding of sustainable energy consumption in the home
	Public understanding of sustainable leisure and tourism
	Public understanding of sustainable transport
	 2007-08
	Public Understanding of Links between Climate Change and Energy and Food consumption in the Home
	Per Capita Carbon Footprints
	Public Understanding of Sustainable Clothing
	Public attitudes to Climate Change Waves 6 and 7
	Natural Environment Desk Research
	Natural Environment Qualitative Research
	DEFRA survey of public attitudes and behaviours towards the environment 2007
	Carbon Offsetting Qualitative Research
	Young People Climate Change Tracker
	Public attitudes towards wildlife management
	ACT ON CO2 Tracking
	Desk research on conservation volunteering
	 2008- 09
	Public Understanding of Sustainable Water Use in the Home
	Public perceptions of short term actions government could take to mitigate climate change
	Tracker survey of public attitudes and behaviours towards the environment 2009

Environment Protection: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) specific purpose and  (b) monetary value was of each special environmental grant awarded by his Department to City of York Council in each year since 2003.

Dan Norris: There are a number of environmental grants in existence and it is unclear which special environmental grants are being referred to.
	The city of York council received £359,838.71 in 2008-09 and £361,122.65 for 2009-10 as part of a waste infrastructure capital grant. Waste infrastructure capital grants are paid to local authorities in recognition of the need to get front-end waste infrastructure, e.g. recycling and composting facilities, on the ground in time to help England meet landfill targets.
	Agri-environment schemes are administered by Natural England on behalf of DEFRA. There have been no Countryside Stewardship Scheme or Higher Level Scheme agreements with the city of York council since 2003.

Flood Control: Expenditure

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on flood protection measures in  (a) England,  (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and  (c) the City of York in each year since 2003.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The table shows:
	Total expenditure by DEFRA-including by DEFRA through the Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards-on flood and coastal risk management in England from the 2004-05 financial year; and
	Environment Agency investment of grant in aid (from DEFRA) through its regional flood defence committee for the Yorkshire region and expenditure in respect of the city of York.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Total for England  Yorkshire and Humber region  City of York 
			 2004-05 405.5 33.4 0.75 
			 2005-06 506.4 40.7 0.95 
			 2006-07 497.3 34.0 0.76 
			 2007-08 499.8 35.2 0.69 
			 2008-09 564.1 41.8 0.73 
			  Notes: 1. The figures do not include Government funding to local authorities by means of revenue support grant nor funding DEFRA has retained for the implementation of the Pitt Review recommendations, adaptation, resistance and resilience measures. These data are published on the DEFRA website. 2. The totals for England include resource and capital funding to the Environment Agency and funding to the Environment Agency to grant aid local authority and Internal Drainage Board flood risk management capital improvement projects. 3. The resource budget funds maintenance and operational costs of the Environment Agency's flood and coastal erosion risk management activities, and the capital programme funds new and improved defences and projects. 4. The totals for England for 2004-05 to 2007-08 are based on outturns, data for 2008-09 on budgeted amounts. 5. The totals for England for 2004-05 and 2005-06 include capital grant and supported capital expenditure (resource) to local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards.

Flood Control: Finance

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has allocated to the Environment Agency for flood defence grants in each year since 1997; and what expenditure his Department has incurred on flood defences in each such year.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table shows total funding from DEFRA (and its predecessors) to the Environment Agency for flood and coastal erosion risk management. This includes funding for grants to internal drainage boards and local authorities for capital improvement projects.
	Until 2004-05 the flood risk management function of the Environment Agency was funded primarily through a combination of grants from DEFRA (and its predecessors) for specific projects and levies on local authorities. The data shows funding from DEFRA and does not include funding from other sources, such as local government investment using settlement funding and levies to the Environment Agency.
	The figure for 2008-09 is based on budgeted amounts, subject to confirmation of final outturns.
	
		
			   Funding  ( £ million ) 
			 1997-98 87.1 
			 1998-99 78.3 
			 1999-00 75.5 
			 2000-01 71.4 
			 2001-02 84.7 
			 2002-03 128.4 
			 2003-04 135.5 
			 2004-05 405.5 
			 2005-06 506.4 
			 2006-07 497.3 
			 2007-08 499.8 
			 2008-09 564.1

Flood Control: Standards

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of BSI Kitemark-approved products in reducing flood risk; and what the cost to the Environment Agency was of sponsorship of the Kitemark;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the merits of BSI Kitemark for products to promote flood defence and flood resilience; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The kitemark scheme is a British Standards (BSi) accreditation scheme for products meeting specified standards. In the case of flood protection products, accreditation is given to those that comply with publicly available specification (PAS) 1188. To gain the BSi kitemark, products must undergo rigorous testing to demonstrate that they are able to provide effective property level flood protection.
	A working group with representatives from the flood resilience product manufacturers, the flood protection association, the Association of British Insurers, insurance companies, DEFRA and HR Wallingford has recently assessed the current BSi kitemark scheme for flood protection products. It was agreed that the scheme is necessary to ensure product quality compliance, and as a result it was re-issued in April this year.
	The cost to the Environment Agency of the working group assessment and revising and re-issuing a test scheme was £72,000.

Floods

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2009,  Official Report, column 1087W, on floods: Canvey Island, if he will make it his policy to estimate the number and proportion of buildings in flood risk areas which  (a) are not flood-resistant and  (b) are flood-resistant.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We have no plans to require assessments of whether properties have flood resistant products. These will typically only be made by householders for their own purposes or where it is relevant to the development of a flood management scheme.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2009,  Official Report, column 380W, on fluoride: drinking water, what assessment the Drinking Water Inspectorate made of the adequacy of the remedial action taken by Severn Trent Water following the addition of excessive levels of fluoride to the water supply in 2000.

Huw Irranca-Davies: In January 2009, the Drinking Water Inspectorate sent Severn Trent Water its full assessment of the incident that occurred in 2008; it made 14 recommendations for improvement. In February 2009, the Inspectorate carried out an independent audit of Dimmingsdale Water Treatment Works and made eight recommendations and three comments about best practice. On 3 February 2009, Severn Trent Water wrote formally to the inspectorate confirming the action it had taken, and will be taking, to comply fully with the Inspectorate's findings. Scrutiny of company actions by the Inspectorate continues.

Forestry

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the last meeting of the UK Forestry Ministers' Group took place; and when the next meeting of the group is scheduled.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The last meeting of the UK Forestry Ministers' Group took place on 20 October 2005 to discuss forestry and climate change.

Forests

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of each county was covered by ancient woodland in  (a) 1988,  (b) 1998 and  (c) 2008.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Figures for the years requested are not held.
	The original ancient woodland inventory was carried out in the mid-1980s and was based on manual measurements of maps. The percentage by county recorded at that time is shown in the following table.
	The original data was transferred to a digital map basis in the mid-1990s when it was updated and it has continued to be revised as new information becomes available. The current percentage by county is shown in the following table.
	Although ancient woodland cannot be recreated, areas have been added and removed from the inventory to reflect new information on the status of the woodland. The vast majority of the changes in the inventory over this period are due to such corrections and adjustments to boundaries from the digitising process, and do not represent actual change on the ground.
	
		
			  Percentage of ancient woodland by county 
			   Original inventory  Current inventory 
			 Avon 2.4 2.1 
			 Bedfordshire 2.1 2.2 
			 Berkshire 4.6 4.4 
			 Buckinghamshire 4.5 4.7 
			 Cambridgeshire 0.8 0.8 
			 Cheshire 0.7 0.8 
			 Cleveland 2.5 2.3 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 1.9 2.0 
			 Cumbria 2.3 2.5 
			 Derbyshire 1.7 1.9 
			 Devon 2.2 2.3 
			 Dorset 2.9 2.8 
			 Durham 1.7 1.5 
			 East Sussex 10.4 11.4 
			 Essex 2.4 2.4 
			 Gloucestershire 6.7 6.8 
			 Greater Manchester 0.6 0.7 
			 Hampshire 6.8 7.6 
			 Hereford and Worcester 4.7 4.8 
			 Hertfordshire 3.3 3.5 
			 Humberside 0.2 0.2 
			 London 1.6 1.6 
			 Isle of Wight 4.1 4.2 
			 Kent 8.0 7.4 
			 Lancashire 0.9 1.0 
			 Leicestershire 1.0 1.0 
			 Lincolnshire 1.0 1.1 
			 Merseyside 0.2 0.0 
			 Norfolk 0.5 0.5 
			 North Yorkshire 1.7 1.8 
			 Northamptonshire 2.7 2.9 
			 Northumberland 1.0 1.0 
			 Nottinghamshire 1.0 1.2 
			 Oxfordshire 2.9 3.0 
			 Shropshire 2.7 2.7 
			 Somerset 2.6 2.7 
			 South Yorkshire 2.9 2.9 
			 Staffordshire 2.1 2.1 
			 Suffolk 1.1 1.2 
			 Surrey 5.8 5.8 
			 Tyne and Wear 2.0 2.2 
			 Warwickshire 2.1 2.1 
			 West Midlands 0.8 0.8 
			 West Sussex 8.5 9.2 
			 West Yorkshire 1.7 1.9 
			 Wiltshire 3.7 3.7

Hazardous Substances: Waste Disposal

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many businesses in each region produced hazardous waste in each year since 1997.

Dan Norris: This data from the Environment Agency shows the number of premises in each region producing hazardous waste in 2006 and 2007. Data for 2008 is not yet available.
	
		
			   Sites 
			  Region  2007  2006 
			 Unclassified(1) 4,346 5,135 
			 East Midlands 27,611 27,014 
			 East of England 38,383 39,207 
			 London 35,827 37,312 
			 North East 13,850 12,915 
			 North West 36,759 36,047 
			 South East 56,485 57,096 
			 South West 33,137 33,209 
			 Wales 17,229 16,271 
			 West Midlands 29,741 30.226 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 29,752 27,791 
			 Total 323,120 322,223 
			 (1 )This information cannot be allocated to regions because of poor quality postcodes reported by operators in their quarterly returns. 
		
	
	These data are derived from the hazardous waste management system and database which was introduced in July 2005 to coincide with the introduction of the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005.
	The Environment Agency is unable to provide information for the period 1997 to 2004. Information prior to this is held on an archived system which defined hazardous waste differently. Information is therefore not directly comparable with that held after 2005.

Landfill

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) complaints were made,  (b) prosecutions were brought and  (c) fines were levied against landfill site operators in each region for offences related to (i) odour, (ii) water pollution, (iii) air pollution and (iv) effect on human health in each year since 1997.

Dan Norris: Following is a table from the Environment Agency (EA) showing the number of  (a) complaints made,  (b) court cases brought, and  (c) fines levied against landfill operators in each region for offences related to (i) odour, (ii) water pollution and (iii) air pollution in each year since 2001. The data provided show that from 2001 only as this is when the EA's National Incident Recording System came on line. Interrogating systems which hold information prior to 2001 would incur disproportionate cost.
	The EA does not hold specific data relating to the effect of such offences on human health, but it is taken into account when determining the nature of the incident.
	
		
			  Number of incidents 
			   Total number related to landfills  Air pollution-odour related  Air pollution-not odour related  Water pollution  Number of court cases  Total fines (£) 
			  2001   
			 Anglian 60 28 19 3 3 20,000 
			 Midlands 71 48 14 5 3 3,000 
			 North East 96 35 25 6 0 0 
			 North West 762 332 378 9 2 13,000 
			 Southern 75 42 26 7 6 38,000 
			 South West 33 10 15 6 0 0 
			 Thames 31 18 13 3 0 0 
			 EA Wales 101 46 56 3 5 16,000 
			
			  2002   
			 Anglian 77 40 23 5 3 75,000 
			 Midlands 124 51 27 10 1 1,250 
			 North East 116 45 14 14 0 0 
			 North West 445 369 82 10 3 31,000 
			 Southern 75 50 16 4 1 8,500 
			 South West 36 8 12 6 2 4,500 
			 Thames 56 19 22 8 0 0 
			 EA Wales 92 43 24 12 2 9,500 
			
			  2003   
			 Anglian 54 31 20 3 1 15,000 
			 Midlands 104 57 28 5 5 12,500 
			 North East 94 43 16 8 2 5,500 
			 North West 155 93 45 6 3 12,000 
			 Southern 58 45 20 5 1 6,000 
			 South West 25 2 3 5 0 0 
			 Thames 51 27 20 2 0 0 
			 EA Wales 49 22 13 4 2 12,000 
			
			  2004   
			 Anglian 85 34 26 2 0 0 
			 Midlands 103 40 42 10 5 42,000 
			 North East 121 40 35 13 1 2,000 
			 North West 109 64 47 4 2 20,000 
			 Southern 62 45 9 2 1 30,000 
			 South West 45 18 9 9 4 17,000 
			 Thames 67 48 36 1 1 10,000 
			 EA Wales 41 21 13 7 1 250 
			
			  2005   
			 Anglian 76 44 20 3 0 0 
			 Midlands 57 20 26 10 2 42,000 
			 North East 93 46 32 4 3 2,000 
			 North West 78 51 22 5 2 8,000 
			 Southern 28 19 16 1 1 10,000 
			 South West 22 15 6 1 0 0 
			 Thames 42 32 27 3 0 0 
			 EA Wales 50 25 16 11 3 12,500 
			
			  2006   
			 Anglian 73 47 20 4 2 47,500 
			 Midlands 43 12 18 7 1 4,000 
			 North East 41 13 9 3 4 28,800 
			 North West 41 23 14 0 0 0 
			 Southern 13 5 4 0 4 12,500 
			 South West 45 15 8 9 1 35,000 
			 Thames 37 13 6 7 1 0 
			 EA Wales 53 29 16 9 3 6,000 
			
			  2007   
			 Anglian 60 32 13 8 11 41,000 
			 Midlands 51 24 21 8 0 0 
			 North East 72 28 25 5 3 22,000 
			 North West 28 18 10 4 0 0 
			 Southern 33 30 15 2 0 0 
			 South West 63 37 31 4 3 42,000 
			 Thames 36 18 14 5 9 38,249 
			 EA Wales 84 52 44 6 2 15,500 
			
			  2008   
			 Anglian 51 32 8 4 2 13,000 
			 Midlands 51 24 18 5 1 16,000 
			 North East 117 73 46 8 4 4,000 
			 North West 17 10 6 2 0 0 
			 Southern 66 27 13 4 2 7,400 
			 South West 41 34 17 4 5 92,875 
			 Thames 39 31 12 3 1 20,000 
			 EA Wales 153 131 67 5 0 0

Local Government Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  which  (a) specific and  (b) area-based grants are distributed to local authorities by each division of his Department;
	(2)  what recent estimate has been made of the annual cost to  (a) his Department of distributing each grant made by it to local authorities and  (b) local authorities of administering each such grant;
	(3)  what  (a) eligibility conditions and  (b) compliance measures are in place in respect of the expenditure by local authorities of each grant distributed by his Department; and what recent estimate has been made of the annual cost to his Department of monitoring the compliance by local authorities with such measures in respect of each such grant.

Dan Norris: The Government believe in giving local authorities greater flexibility to take decisions on local priorities. The introduction of the area based grant has reduced ring-fencing, giving councils increased flexibility to manage their budgets. Alongside this, the new local performance framework has provided a simplified and more effective structure for priority setting and performance measurement.
	The following specific revenue grants are being paid by this Department direct to local authorities in 2009-10:
	
		
			  Policy area  Grant 
			 Waste Strategy London Waste and Recycling Board Fund 
			 Exotic Disease and Agency Relationship Portfolio Animal Health and Welfare Enforcement 
			 Atmospheric Quality and Industrial Pollution Air Quality Monitoring Equipment 
			 Soils Contaminated Land 
			 Water Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management 
		
	
	Area based grant is paid by Communities and Local Government on behalf of the Government as a whole, in monthly instalments. Funding streams from this Department which are being paid through area based grant in 2009-10 are:
	
		
			  Policy area  Grant 
			 People and Landscapes Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund 
			 Waste Strategy Waste Infrastructure Capital Grant 
		
	
	The Department does not routinely estimate the costs of distributing grants each year, although it does consider the cost effectiveness of proposals as part of the policy development process. It also assesses whether there will be any new burdens on local authorities, and ensures that these are fully funded when a policy is implemented.
	As area based grants are not ring-fenced, they come with no specific conditions or compliance requirements.
	Eligibility conditions and compliance measures vary with each specific revenue grant.

Marine Management Organisation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the oral answer of 23 June 2009,  Official Report, column 700, what mechanisms exist for the independent Marine Management Organisation to report to Parliament.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is required to prepare an annual report for each financial year detailing how it has discharged its functions. The MMO must send this report to the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who must lay a copy of it before Parliament.
	The Secretary of State will be formally accountable to Parliament for the activities and performance of, and public money spent by, the MMO. He will be advised by a cross-government MMO sponsorship group which will allow UK Government Departments' interests to be represented without compromising the clear lines of responsibility and accountability.

Natural England: Manpower

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many qualified  (a) lepidopterists,  (b) botanists,  (c) lichenologists,  (d) bryologists and  (e) mycologists are employed by Natural England.

Huw Irranca-Davies: With the exception of botany, there are no nationally-recognised qualifications in the fields covered by this question. Natural England employs the following numbers of nationally-recognised experts:
	
		
			   Number 
			  (a) Lepidopterists 1 
			  (b) Botanists 3 
			  (c) Lichenologists 1 
			  (d) Bryologists 1 
			  (e) Mycologists 2

Origin Marking: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  with reference to the round table meeting on 31 March 2009 with representatives from food retailers and trading organisations on food labelling, what steps his Department is taking in the preparation of voluntary guidance to supermarkets on country of origin labelling of produce from Israeli settlements;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer from the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak, of 8 July 2009,  Official Report, column 856W, on Israel: imports, when he expects to announce the next step in public consultation on the labelling of goods imported into the UK from Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Following the meeting on 31 March, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently working with other Departments including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Food Standards Agency with the intention of carrying out a public consultation on the labelling of produce from the Occupied Palestinian Territories shortly.

Rivers: Pollution

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at what locations  (a) acid and  (b) other discharge from (i) mines, (ii) landfill sites, (iii) radioactive waste storage sites and (iv) animal burial mounds have been identified as (A) exceeding permitted levels and (B) resulting in poor river quality in nearby river courses in each year since 1997; and what steps his Department takes when such sites are identified.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Details of locations where acid and other discharge from mines, landfill sites, radioactive waste storage sites and animal burial mounds have been identified as exceeding permitted levels and resulting in poor river quality are as follows:
	(i) Working mines are subject to discharge controls under Water Resources Act consents or Environmental Permitting Regulations permits issued and enforced by the Environment Agency. Permits are set to ensure that, when complied with, relevant EU Directive standards are met. Where permits are not complied with it is for the Environment Agency to take appropriate action.
	Since 1994, over 100 discharges from abandoned coal mines to rivers have been assessed and prioritised by the environment agencies in England and Wales and Scotland. The Coal Authority has built some 50 minewater treatment plants which have cleaned up or protected more than 400 km of rivers and protected drinking water supply aquifers. A prioritised programme to deal with remaining pollution from abandoned coal mines is in place.
	Research commissioned recently by my Department and the Environment Agency has addressed the impacts of abandoned non-coal mines on watercourses. It identifies those posing the greatest risk to achievement of the aims of the Water Framework Directive by assessment of impacts on water quality, ecology, fish and groundwater. It is estimated that, out of a total of some 8,000 water bodies, 221 are impacted by non-coal minewater pollution related primarily to high concentrations of metals in discharges. As a first step, my Department is currently commissioning research to identify the most cost-effective passive treatment options from which to develop appropriate remedial measures within future river basin management planning cycles. This research will be published in due course.
	Relevant annual data since 1997 are not held centrally and I will ask the Environment Agency to provide such information as is readily available to be placed in the Library of the House.
	(ii) The regulation of landfills has changed significantly since 1997 when landfills were regulated by a waste management licence. Discharges of site drainage and treated leachate were controlled through a separate authorisation. Since the introduction of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act in 1999, permits have controlled both the landfill and discharges to surface water at operational sites.
	The Environment Agency records inspections carried out at landfill and breaches of licence conditions. Since 2004 the Environment Agency has recorded data on breaches of licence conditions on a national system. Information prior to this is not held centrally.
	The following table summarises the number of landfill non-compliances related to discharges to surface water, for each Environment Agency region.
	
		
			  Region  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  200 9  Total 
			 Anglian 230 401 73 15 13 6 738 
			 Midlands 156 173 72 13 21 15 450 
			 North East 286 362 147 53 19 1 868 
			 North West 109 98 30 19 18 1 275 
			 South West 62 33 29 13 19 - 156 
			 Southern 266 253 106 8 26 1 660 
			 Thames 49 121 108 6 5 9 298 
			 Wales 26 31 24 14 29 7 131 
			 Total 1,184 1,472 589 141 150 40 3,576 
		
	
	While the Environment Agency records details of the type of breach, it is unable to provide a summary of the breakdown of these incidents by substance.
	(iii) Low level radioactive waste is disposed of at the Low Level Waste Repository near Drigg in Cumbria. The Environment Agency and the Food Standards Agency monitor the environment and food around this facility. Since 2002, the Environment Agency has published its environmental monitoring results annually in the Radioactivity in Food and Environment (RIFE) Report series; prior to that the results were published in the Agency's Radioactivity in the Environment series of reports. Based on these monitoring results the Environment Agency assesses the radiation doses received by members of the public. The radiation dose to members of the public living near the Low Level Waste Repository is much less than the annual 1 millisievert (mSv) legal dose limit. The results of these dose assessments are also published in the RIFE report series.
	Small quantities of low level radioactive waste are disposed of to some landfill sites. The Environment Agency monitors groundwater and leachate from a number of landfill sites and its assessments of radiation doses based on the monitoring results show that doses to members of the public are much lower than the annual 1 mSv legal dose limit. These results are also published in the RIFE report series.
	The disposals of radioactive waste did not exceed permitted levels at the low level radioactive waste repository near Drigg or at landfill sites. Radioactive waste disposals did not result in poor river water quality.
	(iv) The Environment Agency is not aware of any significant impact from animal burial mounds. The only significant burial of animals occurred during the 2001 Foot and Mouth emergency where there were 992 on-farm disposals of carcases in England and Wales. Due to the precautions taken at the time to identify suitable sites and the removal of material in some cases, very few residual risks were identified in the comprehensive review that was subsequently undertaken by DEFRA. Monitoring was found to be necessary at approximately 3 per cent. of the original burial sites. No unacceptable impact on the environment has been found.
	Following the outbreak, DEFRA, in consultation with the Environment Agency, commissioned an independent review of each site using a source>pathway>receptor staged approach. The consultants concluded that none of the 992 sites posed an unacceptable risk to the environment but recommended that 32 of the sites be subject to ongoing water quality monitoring. Monitoring of these sites commenced in 2003 and is ongoing. The results are made available to the Environment Agency on a quarterly basis. This ongoing monitoring has identified that although there have been occasional exceedences of the precautionary threshold levels at a number of sites, they are often one-off spikes and are not consistent. These exceedences are considered to reflect the fact that samples are obtained from natural bodies of water in agricultural settings and reflect agricultural practice in the vicinity rather than results from the carcase disposal.
	Since 2001, DEFRA has retained and managed four animal burial sites. Of these sites, only one (Watchtree, Cumbria) releases processed water into the watercourse. This is treated water from the burial cells finished using reed-bed technologies which is subject to a managed discharge consent issued by the Environment Agency. While there have been isolated instances of permitted levels being breached, these have almost been exclusively due to unseasonal rainfall which increases the suspended solids content, and none have resulted in poor river quality being reported. The three remaining sites (Tow Law, Co Durham, Ridgeway Ground, Worcestershire and Birkshaw Forest, Dumfries and Galloway) are closed sites with water products been stored and tanked to an appropriate location for treatment. Ground water run-off surrounding the sites is also monitored with the results shared with the Environment Agency, no recurring breaches have been reported and any isolated breaches have been actively resolved in conjunction with the appropriate regulatory agencies.

Roads

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he last reviewed the powers available for control of the use of the public highway for the sale of motor vehicles.

Dan Norris: In 2005, DEFRA introduced further provisions within The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act to tackle nuisance parking. Specifically, section 3 of Act makes it an offence for a person to place two or more vehicles for sale (for the purposes of a business) on roads where they are within 500 metres of each other. The offence is not intended to target individual private sellers of single vehicles, rather the nuisance that is caused by the presence of numbers of vehicles being offered for sale by the same person or business. Any person found guilty of such an offence can be fined up to £2,500.

Rural Payments Agency: Freedom of Information

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which requests for information received by the Rural Payments Agency under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in 2008 were  (a) classified as not resolvable and  (b) refused in full.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Most requests for information received by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) are dealt with under the provisions of the environmental information regulations (EIR). Figures provided include requests dealt with in 2008 by RPA under the EIR and Freedom of Information Act (FOI). Requests classified as not resolvable by RPA are those where information is not held by RPA.
	
		
			   FOI  EIR 
			 Requests not resolvable 8 12 
			 Information withheld in full 7 12

Squirrels

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Natural England has spent on red squirrel conservation in the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: From 2004-5 to 2008-9, Natural England and its founding bodies spent £94,300 on red squirrel conservation. In addition, a three-year rural enterprise scheme grant of £148,000 was made by the Rural Development Service in July 2006. Responsibility for this scheme was transferred to the Regional Development Agencies on the establishment of Natural England.

Trees

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of trees in each region  (a) had full crowns,  (b) had slight defoliation,  (c) had moderate defoliation,  (d) had severe defoliation and  (e) were dead in the latest survey conducted on behalf of his Department into tree health.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The last complete survey of forest condition was conducted by the Forestry Commission between June and September 2006. The total number of trees assessed was 8,184 and these included Sitka spruce, Norway spruce, Scots pine, oak and beech.
	The data are not readily available by region but the total percentages are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Class  Percentage of trees 
			 Full crowns 26.1 
			 Slight defoliation 48.0 
			 Moderate defoliation 23.9 
			 Severe defoliation 1.1 
			 Dead 0.9 
		
	
	A limited survey of the condition of two forest tree species (Scots pine and oak) was undertaken between June and September of 2007. The total number of trees assessed was 3,744. The data are not readily available by region but the total percentages are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Class  Percentage of trees 
			 Full crowns 26.5 
			 Slight defoliation 47.5 
			 Moderate defoliation 23.8 
			 Severe defoliation 1.1 
			 Dead 1.1

Trees

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps  (a) have been taken recently and  (b) are planned to be taken to improve tree health.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The need to maintain, and improve where necessary, the health and vitality of trees remains integral to the Government's approach to sustainable forest management.
	Forest Research, the Research Agency of the Forestry Commission that is responsible for carrying out investigations into and providing advice on tree health issues, has recently been restructured to give greater emphasis to the impact of climate change on tree health. Its new Centre for Forestry and Climate Change researches the effects of environmental and climate change on forestry, and how the sector can play its part in adaptation and mitigation of climate change. The centre also develops entomology, pathology and environmental sciences in order to deliver holistic understanding of climate change and forestry.
	As well as investigating the potential impacts of climate change, research is ongoing into a number of pests and diseases of current concern. These include:
	Red Band Needle Blight which can affect a wide range of pines and other conifers.
	Acute Oak Decline which is widespread and of complex cause, often involving recurrent drought, attack by root disease fungi and episodes of insect defoliation or mildew attack.
	The horse chestnut leaf miner moth which causes browning and an autumnal appearance during the summer months and the bacterium  Pseudomonas syringae pv  aesculi as the causal agent of a serious, sometimes lethal, bleeding canker of horse chestnuts.
	Oak processionary moth ( Thaumetopoea processionea) for which the Forestry Commission initiated a contingency plan and is working in partnership with officials from the affected London boroughs and the Health Protection Agency, in an effort to eradicate the pest before it gains a firm foothold.
	 Phytophthora ramorum and  Phytophthora kernoviae for which we have already announced a £25 million package which will support a five-year programme to manage and contain the risks of these two plant diseases.
	Looking to the future, the Forestry Commission has recently announced plans to develop a risk management strategy and action plan to respond to the increasing biotic threats to UK trees and forests. It is aiming to have this in place later this year.

Waste Disposal

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of sanitary products have been disposed of by  (a) landfill,  (b) incineration and  (c) other means in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of disposable nappies have been disposed of by  (a) landfill,  (b) incineration and  (c) other means in the last year for which figures are available.

Dan Norris: holding answer 13 July 2009
	Data on individual waste streams such as nappies or sanitary products are not routinely collected. However, a report of an updated life cycle study on disposable and reusable nappies prepared for DEFRA by consultants ERM and published in 2008 contained an assumption that 86 per cent. of disposable nappies were landfilled in 2005-06, with the remainder going to energy from waste installations.

Water Charges

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the average proportion of income spent on water charges by households in  (a) the bottom decile,  (b) the bottom 50 per cent. and  (c) the highest decile for household income in (i) 1990, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2008.

Huw Irranca-Davies: This information is held by the Office for National Statistics. The average percentage of income spent on water charges by households is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Water bills as a percentage of household disposable income( 1) - United Kingdom 
			   Percentage of income for group names 
			   Bottom  decile group( 2)  Bottom 50 per cent( 2)  Top  decile group( 2) 
			 2000-01 3.5 1.8 0.5 
			 2006-07 3.5 1.9 0.5 
			 (1) Unequivalised household disposable income. (2) Ranked by equivalised disposable income. 
		
	
	2006-07 is the latest period for which estimates are currently available. The next publication is scheduled for 29 July and will cover the period 2007-08.

Water Charges

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many customers of each water supply company were on a vulnerable groups tariff in each of the last three year.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The number of customers on a vulnerable groups tariff in each of the last three years by water company is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Anglian and Hartlepool Water 904 3,385 3,068 
			 Dwr Cymru 580 899 1,070 
			 United Utilities 1,565 2,286 2,551 
			 Northumbrian and Essex and Suffolk 898 1,077 1,403 
			 Severn Trent 1,508 2,385 3,399 
			 South West 3,857 5,837 6,782 
			 Southern 280 197 641 
			 Thames 2,053 2,333 2,747 
			 Wessex 751 837 972 
			 Yorkshire and York 1,663 2,090 2,702 
			 Bournemouth and West Hampshire 222 274 381 
			 Bristol 478 511 620 
			 Cambridge 108 128 163 
			 Dee Valley 36 73 83 
			 Folkestone 106 176 270 
			 Portsmouth 30 43 73 
			 South East Water (incl. Mid Kent) 143 249 (1)156 
			 South East Water (excl. Mid Kent Water) 102 97 - 
			 Mid Kent Water 41 152 - 
			 South Staffs 198 259 364 
			 Sutton and East Surrey 91 110 113 
			 Tendring Hundred 425 468 533 
			 Three Valleys 316 504 788 
			 Industry 16,212 24,121 28,723 
			 (1) In 2008-09 Mid Kent merged with South East Water

Water Charges

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of average monthly cost to  (a) metered and  (b) unmetered consumers of (i) water supply and (ii) sewerage services in each (A) water supply area and (B) region in 2007-08.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Ofwat, the economic regulator of the water and sewerage sector in England and Wales, does not hold data for the average metered and unmetered water and sewerage bills broken down by month and region.
	The following table sets out the average annual bills for 2007-08 in 2009-10 prices.
	Information on 2009-10 water and sewerage bills is available from the Ofwat website at:
	www.ofwat.gov.uk
	
		
			  The average annual unmetered and metered, water and sewerage bills for 2007-08 (in 2009-10 prices) 
			   Unmetered water  Metered water  Unmetered sewerage  Metered sewerage  Combined unmeasured  Combined measured  Combined total water and total sewerage 
			  Water and sewerage companies
			 Anglian 204 149 247 188 451 336 381 
			 Dwr Cymru 184 119 246 164 430 284 390 
			 North West 171 151 200 177 371 327 361 
			 Northumbrian (incl. Essex and Suffolk)
			 Northumbrian 138 109 175 142 314 250 302 
			 Essex and Suffolk 193 138  
			 Severn Trent 157 135 148 143 305 278 297 
			 South West 257 163 433 227 690 391 506 
			 Southern 131 119 245 191 376 310 353 
			 Thames 188 160 121 109 309 269 299 
			 Wessex 217 163 214 174 431 337 395 
			 Yorkshire (incl. York) 160 133 178 145 339 278 319 
			 
			  Water only companies
			 Bournemouth and West Hampshire 161 130 - - - - - 
			 Bristol 158 136 - - - - - 
			 Cambridge 132 116 - - - - - 
			 Dee Valley 141 102 - - - - - 
			 Folkestone and Dover 223 161 - - - - - 
			 Mid Kent 186 133 - - - - - 
			 Portsmouth 91 82 - - - - - 
			 South East 191 142 - - - - - 
			 South Staffs 124 116 - - - - - 
			 Sutton and East Surrey 178 144 - - - - - 
			 Tendring Hundred 214 152 - - - - - 
			 Three Valleys (incl. North Surrey) 168 144 - - - - - 
			  Note: Figures may not total due to rounding

Water Supply

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2009,  Official Report, column 532W, on water meters, how many households receive water supplies from  (a) Severn Trent Water and  (b) South Staffordshire Water.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table shows the number of households that receive their water supplies from Severn Trent Water and South Staffordshire Water.
	
		
			  Company  Connected properties 
			 Severn Trent Water 3,167,600 
			 South Staffordshire Water 521,300 
			  Source: Ofwat-service and delivery report 2007-08. Supplementary information available from: www.ofwat.gov.uk

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Graduate Job Prospects

Dari Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of job prospects for graduates in the current economic downturn.

David Lammy: These are undoubtedly tough times for graduates but we should not forget that a degree remains a strong investment. Businesses are continuing to recruit through the downturn, and the Government are committed to helping graduates. Working with employers and universities, we are boosting the number of internships and offering more loans to support further study. So graduates should remain positive.

British National Space Centre

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding his Department has allocated to the British National Space Centre for 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Provisional indicative planning assumptions are that in 2010-11 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will allocate to the British National Space Centre £1.5 million in programme budget, and £1.123 million in administration budget.

Construction Industry

Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to assist the construction industry during the recession.

Rosie Winterton: Government are offering the real help that construction companies and workers need now.
	We are ensuring that companies struggling to obtain finance are supported through a package of support including the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and the Working Capital scheme.
	We are helping the industry ensure it has the right skills, for example by agreeing a Train to Gain compact which will make available £133 million over three years to meet the identified priority skills needs of the industry.
	And we are boosting demand by bringing forward £3 billion expenditure from 2010-11 to 2008-9 and 2009-10.

Bankruptcy

Richard Spring: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in  (a) England and  (b) Suffolk aged 60 or more years have declared themselves bankrupt in each year since 1997.

Ian Lucas: The available information on the number of bankruptcies in England and in Suffolk, aged 60 or more years, may be seen in Table 1 as follows. Information prior to 2000 is not available on this basis.
	
		
			  Table 1: Bankrupts aged 60 and over( 1, 2) 
			   Location 
			   England  Suffolk 
			 2000 802 12 
			 2001 947 19 
			 2002 1,154 26 
			 2003 1,464 26 
			 2004 1,915 23 
			 2005 2,898 51 
			 2006 4,394 61 
			 2007 4,911 69 
			 2008 5,189 89 
			 (1 )Where the bankrupt has provided a valid date of birth (between 90-93 per cent. of cases over the period covered). (2 )Where the bankrupt has provided a valid postcode (increasing from 88 per cent. of cases in 2000 to 97 per cent. in 2008).

Insolvency

Mark Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2009,  Official Report, column 97W, on insolvency, how many reports from insolvency practitioners alleging misconduct have been received by the Insolvency Service in each of the last three years; and how many such reports have been pursued to investigation stage.

Ian Lucas: holding answer 13 July 2009
	The information is as follows:
	
		
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Unfitted returns received 4,120 3,991 4,752 
			 Investigations 1,260 1,691 1,073

Insolvency

Mark Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many company directors have been disqualified from the Insolvency Service following an investigation in each of the last three years; and what the average disqualification period was in each such year.

Ian Lucas: holding answer 13 July 2009
	The Insolvency Service obtains disqualifications under sections 6 and 8 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (CDDA). Some disqualifications are obtained under section 2 of the CDDA following criminal proceedings that have resulted in directors being convicted of an indictable offence in connection with the promotion, formation, management, liquidation or striking off of a company.
	
		
			  Directors disqualified  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  (a) Under section 6
			 Directors disqualified 1,149 1,066 1,204 
			 Average period in years 5.5 5.9 6.3 
			 
			  (b) Under section 8
			 Directors disqualified 26 28 23 
			 Average period in years 6.5 6.2 6.3 
			 
			  (c) Under section 2
			 Directors disqualified 51 79 48 
			 Average period in years n/k n/k 5.7

Insolvency

Mark Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2009,  Official Report, column 97W, on insolvency, what estimate he has made of the cost of regulating compliance with Statement of Insolvency Practice 16; and from which budget such costs will be met.

Ian Lucas: holding answer 13 July 2009
	The cost of the Insolvency Service's monitoring of Statement of Insolvency Practice (SIP) 16, relating to pre-packaged administrations, has been estimated at £100,000 for the current financial year. The monitoring is undertaken on a cost recovery basis, and will therefore be recovered from the recognised professional bodies that regulate insolvency practitioners by way of levy.
	The cost of regulating insolvency practitioners' compliance with SIP 16 in terms of considering and implementing appropriate regulatory and disciplinary actions remains with the relevant recognised professional bodies.

Internet: Censorship

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will restrict or prohibit the supply to Zimbabwe by UK companies of technologies capable of use to monitor, inspect or filter internet content.

Ian Lucas: There are currently no plans to restrict further or prohibit the supply to Zimbabwe by UK companies of technologies capable of use to monitor, inspect or filter internet content. The export of these technologies would already be controlled if they employed cryptography or were specially designed for military use. European Union sanctions against Zimbabwe, outlined in Council Regulation (EC) No 314/2004, also allow Communications Intercept Devices to be controlled where they might be used for internal repression.
	In such cases, all export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and a licence would not be issued if to do so was inconsistent with the criteria.

Jaguar Land Rover

Richard Burden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made in discussions between his Department and Jaguar Land Rover in respect of loan guarantees; and when he expects the discussions to be completed.

Ian Lucas: holding answer 8 July 2009
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Peter Luff) on 24 June 2009,  Official Report, column 980W.

London Metropolitan University

Robert Wilson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  when he was first informed of the inaccuracies relating to student data and funding at London Metropolitan University;
	(2)  on what date the Higher Education Funding Council for England first raised concerns with London Metropolitan University about its non-completion rates data for the 2005-06 academic year;
	(3)  what reasons representatives of the London Metropolitan University provided to the Higher Education Funding Council for England for its return of incorrect data on completion rates for the academic years  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07 and  (c) 2007-08;
	(4)  what recent procedures he has put in place to ensure the accuracy of data on non-completion rates provided by universities to the Higher Education Funding Council for England;
	(5)  if he will commission an independent investigation into the recent submission of data on non-completion rates by London Metropolitan University to the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

David Lammy: I will answer these questions on the current situation at London Metropolitan university (LMU) together. In doing so it should be borne in mind that responsibility for resolving these issues falls to the funding council and the university. Ministers are precluded in legislation from decisions on the funding of individual institutions. In answer to the specific questions:
	First, Ministers were first informed about by the funding council about issues with audit of LMU's data in February 2008.
	Second, the funding council first raised concerns with LMU about its 2005/06 data in April 2007.
	Third, LMU reported non-completions for each of these years based on its own interpretation of the funding council rules.
	Fourth, the funding council already has a number of processes in place to ensure the accuracy of the data institutions provide which inform their funding. It was these processes that identified the problems at LMU.
	Fifth, it is for the funding council to account for the funds it distributes. It has itself decided to commission an independent report into its handling of the situation at LMU. It will report to its board in July and will be made public. In addition the National Audit Office will be undertaking a study of the financial health of the HE sector later this year. It is likely to include LMU in that study. As such I will not be commissioning a separate investigation.

Skilled Workers

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of skills shortage in each  (a) industrial sector and  (b) region.

Kevin Brennan: The National Employer Skills Survey 2007 report, published in May 2008, provides the most recent data available on the skills shortages in each sector and region.
	 (a) Table 1 shows the number and proportion of Skills Shortage Vacancies (SSVs) by Sector Skills Council sector (LSC, 2008: p.56):
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Vacancies( 1)  SSVs( 1)  Percentage of vacancies that are SSVs  SSVs per 1,000 employees 
			  Unweighted base  52,867  10,399   
			  All England 619,675 130,000 21 6 
			  
			 Lantra 8,450 2,475 (2)29 8 
			 Cogent 6,650 1,400 21 4 
			 Proskills UK 3,975 950 24 (3)3 
			 Improve Ltd. 5,300 550 (3)10 (3)2 
			 Skillfast-UK 3,875 975 25 5 
			 Semta 23,200 7,150 31 6 
			 Energy and Utility Skills 6,100 500 (3)8 (3)2 
			 ConstructionSkills 36,700 14,625 (2)40 (2)14 
			 SummitSkills 8,075 2,000 25 9 
			 Automotive Skills 11,200 2,975 27 6 
			 Skillsmart Retail 52,675 7,250 14 (3)3 
			 People 1st 67,725 12,675 19 8 
			 GoSkills 10,825 2,475 23 6 
			 Skills for Logistics 11,000 2,075 19 (3)3 
			 Financial Services Skills Council 30,450 4,725 16 5 
			 Asset Skills 24,725 5,125 21 6 
			 e-skills UK 22,650 6,275 28 10 
			 Government Skills 9,750 1,475 15 4 
			 Skills for Justice 3,900 275 (3)7 (3)1 
			 Lifelong Learning UK 19,500 2,625 (3)13 (3)3 
			 Skills for Health 30,500 3,850 13 (3)2 
			 Skills for Care and Development 29,800 4,700 (3)16 5 
			 Skillset 7,075 2,900 (2)41 (2)23 
			 Creative and Cultural Skills 7,325 1,650 23 8 
			 SkillsActive 7,000 1,375 20 5 
			 Non-SSC employers 171,275 36,875 22 6 
			 (1) Denote base sizes of 25 to 49 and should be treated with caution. (2) Indicates particularly high values (3) Indicates particularly low values.  Notes: Figures rounded to the nearest 25. '*' Used where the base size was less than 25. 
		
	
	(b) Table 2 shows the number and proportion of Skills Shortage Vacancies (SSVs) per region (LSC, 2008: p.48):
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Vacancies( 1)  SSVs( 1)  Percentage of vacancies that are SSVs  SSVs per 1,000 employees 
			  Unweighted base   10,399   
			  Overall 619,675 130,000 21 6 
			  
			  Region 
			 Eastern 64,225 12,475 19 5 
			 East Midlands 40,975 8,450 21 5 
			 London 126,875 32,850 26 8 
			 North East 23,400 4,600 20 5 
			 North West 75,225 13,000 17 4 
			 South East 115,450 25,650 22 7 
			 South West 58,575 12,750 22 6 
			 West Midlands 61,350 9,975 16 4 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 53,600 10,250 19 5 
			 (1) Denote base sizes of 25 to 49 and should be treated with caution. Base: All employment  Notes:  Vacancy and SSV figures rounded to the nearest 25.

Space Technology: Research

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of Government research and development (R and D) funding was allocated to civil space R and D in each year since 1986.

David Lammy: holding answer 13 July 2009
	This information is published in SET statistics and can be found at
	http://www.dius.gov.uk/science/science_funding/set_stats
	The most recent figures available are set out in the following table. This shows the percentage share of Government funding of net research and development funding in each year from 1986-87 to 2005-06 which was allocated to civil space.
	
		
			  Percentage share of Government funding of net R and D allocated to civil space 
			   Percentage 
			 1986-87 2.8 
			 1987-88 2.9 
			 1988-89 3.2 
			 1989-90 3.0 
			 1990-91 3.0 
			 1991-92 2.5 
			 1992-93 2.9 
			 1993-94 3.5 
			 1994-95 3.1 
			 1995-96 2.7 
			 1996-97 2.8 
			 1997-98 2.8 
			 1998-99 2.5 
			 1999-2000 2.3 
			 2000-01 2.3 
			 2001-02 2.1 
			 2002-03 1.9 
			 2003-04 2.0 
			 2004-05 2.0 
			 2005-06 2.2

Students: Loans

David Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people have complained to the Student Loans Company (SLC) that money deducted by HM Revenue and Customs from their salaries for repayment of student loans has not been allocated to their accounts with the SLC in each of the last three years; how long on average it took the SLC to reply to such complaints in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: holding answer 7 July 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 July 2009,  Official Report, column 201W.

Tax Havens

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit directors of companies registered in the British Virgin Islands from becoming directors of UK companies.

Ian Lucas: I have no plans to do so.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to answer question 280005, tabled on 10 June 2009, on the Capital for Enterprise Fund.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 July 2009,  Official Report, column 186W.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Contracts

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts let by his Department were awarded to businesses with fewer than 50 employees in each of the last five years; and what the monetary value of such contracts was in each such year.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture Media and Sport awarded the following number of contracts to businesses with fewer than 50 members of staff with the following total monetary values:
	
		
			  April to March  each year  Number of contracts  Total spend (£) 
			 2006-07 120 3,589,211.10 
			 2007-08 93 1,999,166.68 
			  Notes: 1. Data for April 2004-March 2005 and April 2005-March 2006 are not held. 2. Data for April 2008-March 2009 will be available within the next two months.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what categories of personal information about members of the public are contained on each relevant database managed by his Department and its agencies; on what date each category of information began to be collected; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Personal information about members of the public held in databases managed by my Department began to be collected when each one became operational. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 14 July 2009,  Official Report, columns 245-46W.
	Detailed explanation of all the fields in these databases could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) photocopiers,  (b) scanning devices and  (c) fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, there are in his Department; how many there were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In each of the last three years the Department has had the following equipment, excluding multi-function devices.
	
		
			   Photocopiers  Scanning  d evices  Fax m achines 
			 2007 11 4 17 
			 2008 2 4 17 
			 2009 2 4 17

Departmental Information Officers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost to his Department of (a) press officers and (b) other press office staff has been in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The cost of press officers is available only from 2002-03 and the cost of other press office staff is available only from 2003-04. The information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The costs were:
	
		
			  £ 
			   P ress officers  O ther press office staff 
			 2002-03 459,952 - 
			 2003-04 552,677 174,576 
			 2004-05 466,206 157,245 
			 2005-06 (1)550,124 110,864 
			 2006-07 (1)733,412 165,170 
			 2007-08 (1)682,858 187,576 
			 2008-09 (1)706,643 185,715 
			 (1) This includes press officers working on the Olympics

Digital Broadcasting

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the likely cost to the public purse of digital switchover in  (a) the Vale of York,  (b) North Yorkshire and  (c) England.

Si�n Simon: A total of £603 million for the Digital Switchover help scheme and £200 million for Digital UK's marketing and communications were ring-fenced in the current TV licence fee agreement, which runs to March 2013. These figures cover the UK as a whole and have not been divided between nations, regions or individual constituencies.

Digital Broadcasting

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost to the public purse of digital switchover has been in  (a) the Vale of York,  (b) North Yorkshire and  (c) England to date.

Si�n Simon: As detailed in the Help Scheme Agreement, the £603 million estimated cost of the help scheme will be divided into annual amounts for the purpose of funding the scheme. The ITV Yorkshire region (covering the Vale of York and North Yorkshire) does not switch until 2011, therefore to date there has been no spend in this region. It is not possible to estimate the total cost of running the scheme to date in England since a large proportion of the costs are fixed costs that are associated with developing and running the scheme across the UK as a whole.
	There has been no regional cost incurred by Digital UK activity in Yorkshire as this will commence in spring 2010. In England the cost to date of all Digital UK switchover communications and operations, which excludes Wales, Northern Ireland, STV Central and STV North is £57 million.

Digital Broadcasting: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to bring the level of take-up of digital broadcasting in Northern Ireland up to average levels in the rest of the UK.

Si�n Simon: holding answer 3 July 2009
	As digital switchover in Northern Ireland in 2012 draws closer, Digital UK will run a communication programme in the area covered by the Ulster TV region about switchover and what people need to do to ensure that they can receive digital television services.
	There are no steps envisaged to increase digital radio take-up specifically in Northern Ireland, or in any other part of the UK. However, as set out in the recently published Digital Britain White Paper, the Government recognise that building out a Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) infrastructure across the UK which meets the needs of broadcasters, multiplex operators and listeners, including improving the quality of the signal, will require additional investment. We will work closely with the BBC, transmission providers and Ofcom to agree a plan for the extension and improvement for local DAB coverage, and where the cost would most appropriately fall.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what the extent of coverage of digital radio in  (a) Powys,  (b) Wales and  (c) each region will be after the analogue radio switch-off;
	(2)  when the analogue radio signal will be switched off in  (a) Powys,  (b) Wales and  (c) each region.

Si�n Simon: holding answer 13 July 2009
	 Details of the extent of digital radio coverage and when the Digital Radio Upgrade will be implemented in  (a) Powys,  (b) Wales and  (c) each other UK region following the Digital Radio Upgrade programme are not currently available.
	In the coming months we will be working with broadcasters and transmission providers to consider how and when the coverage of DAB will be extended and improved. The intention is to give a clearer indication of future coverage in the spring 2010 review which was proposed in the Digital Britain White Paper.
	However, we have been clear from the outset that coverage of DAB needs to be at least comparable to current FM coverage before the Upgrade can begin. We are also aware that in Wales specific regard needs to be made to those listeners that only have access to radio via MW.
	No date has been set for the Digital Radio Upgrade programme. The top-level principle of the upgrade programme is that it should not result in reduced access to radio services. The Digital Britain White Paper set out our intention to deliver a Digital Radio Upgrade programme across the UK by the end of 2015, when we would expect all analogue services also carried on the national and local DAB multiplexes to cease broadcasting on analogue. The Digital Radio Upgrade will be implemented on a single date, which will be announced at least two years in advance.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what provision will be made for radio reception by residential properties where digital radio signals cannot be received after the discontinuance of analogue radio signals in  (a) Powys,  (b) Wales,  (c) each region of England, (d) Scotland and (e) Northern Ireland.

Si�n Simon: The Digital Britain White Paper made clear our intention that the Digital Radio Upgrade programme should not result in listeners losing access to radio. We have also been clear that before the upgrade can begin DAB coverage must be comparable to the existing FM coverage, particularly for the BBC's services. In the case of Wales, we are also examining closely the impact of ceasing radio broadcasts on MW, which many listeners in Wales rely upon.
	Therefore we are not, at this time, planning specific provisions to address residential properties in  (a) Powys;  (b) Wales;  (c) each region of England;  (d) Scotland; and  (e) Northern Ireland which are not able to receive digital radio signals once services migrate to digital. However, we will keep this under review.

Digital Switchover Help Scheme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the number of people eligible for assistance under the Digital Switchover Help Scheme in  (a) the Vale of York,  (b) North Yorkshire and  (c) England; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: Those eligible for the help scheme can only be broken down by ITV regions. The Help Scheme estimates around 640,000 people in the ITV Yorkshire region will be eligible to receive help, although this number is likely to change between now and when the region switches in 2011. It is estimated that around seven million people in the UK will be eligible to receive help from the Switchover Help Scheme.

Television: Licensing

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when it became a requirement to have a television licence to receive television signals on mobile telephones in the home; how many prosecutions there have been of people who have received signals on mobile telephones without a licence; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: The legislation on TV licensing refers to television receivers and does not refer specifically to mobile phones.
	Government do not hold figures on what particular type of television receiver was being used in any particular breach of the television licensing regulations.
	The interpretation of the TV licensing legislation, including an assessment of whether a mobile phone meets the definition of a television receiver under the legislation, is a matter for the BBC.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the armed forces rules of engagement in Afghanistan were last reviewed.

Bob Ainsworth: The UK's Rules of Engagement are reviewed regularly to ensure that they remain effective and compliant with international law.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to deploy in Afghanistan helicopters which are out of service for repair or maintenance work on completion of that work.

Bob Ainsworth: On completion of repair or maintenance work, helicopters are returned to the Forward Fleet where they are used for operational or training purposes.
	Those aircraft which are equipped to Theatre Entry Standard are likely to be deployed to Operational Theatres to allow other airframes to return to the UK to undergo regular, programmed servicing and maintenance.
	The remaining aircraft in the Forward Fleet are with Front Line Squadrons, primarily for training purposes.

Armed Forces

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving officers there are in each of the three services.

Bill Rammell: As at 1 May 2009 the trained strength of UK Regular Forces(1) included 6,480 officers in the Naval Service, 13,800 in the Army and 8,420 in the Royal Air Force.
	A full breakdown of the strength of UK Regular Forces by officer/other rank, training indicator and service can be found in Tri-Service Publication 1, which is published on a monthly basis at the following link:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/apps/publications/pubViewFile.php?content=32date=2009-06-23type=htmlPublishTime=09:30:00
	Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System, all strength statistics are provisional and subject to review.
	(1) UK Regular Forces excludes Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve personnel and mobilised reservists.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions officials of his Department have met Scottish Executive health officials in each year since 2007; and at how many such meetings  (a) the care of soldiers and veterans and  (b) the sharing of best practice between the Defence Medical Services and NHS Scotland have been discussed.

Kevan Jones: The main forum for discussions between the Ministry of Defence and Scottish Executive health officials is the MOD/UK Health Departments Partnership Board, at which a range of issues of mutual interest are discussed. The board meets three times a year, with a core remit to ensure that the MOD and UK Health Departments share best practice and work together to improve the health and healthcare of the UK armed forces, plus dependents and veterans, and such issues form the basis of its discussions. The Senior Medical Officer at the Scottish Executive is a standing member of the board and attends, or is represented at, its meetings.
	In addition, there are three official level working groups that take forward specific works strands identified by the Partnership Board, and which meet on average four times a year. Scottish Executive officials are members of each of these Working groups, and attend meetings either in person or by video link.
	Finally, numerous other official level discussions, both formal and informal, take place as required at both national and local level, to address the health needs of service personnel and their dependants across the entire patient care pathway.

Departmental Lost Property

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many laptop computers belonging to  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been lost or stolen in the last five years.

Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1669W, by my right hon. Friend the previous Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Ainsworth) to the hon. Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer).

Departmental Procurement

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in implementing the recommendations of the Glover Report in its procurement processes.

Quentin Davies: The MOD is working with other Government Departments toward the implementation of all 12 key recommendations of the Glover Report. The MOD is participating fully in the Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and Office of Government Commerce (OGC) led Glover Programme Board which oversees the implementation of the recommendations across Government.

Departmental Property

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) one,  (b) two and  (c) three or more bedroom properties are owned by or managed for his Department in inner London boroughs; and what his most recent estimate is of the average annual net cost of managing properties in each category.

Kevan Jones: For accommodating single Service personnel, this Department owns some 1,586 Single Living Accommodation (SLA) units in the inner London boroughs.
	For accommodating entitled Service families in the same area, the Department currently holds the following number of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties, the majority of which are leased from Annington Homes Ltd:
	
		
			  Property Type  Number of Bedrooms  Number of Properties 
			  Officers   
			 1 4/5 6 
			 II 4/5 3 
			 III 4 1 
			 IV 4 86 
			 V 3 46 
			  Other Ranks   
			 D 4 103 
			 C 3 252 
			 B 2 285 
			 A 1 6 
		
	
	No separate estimate is made of the costs of living accommodation broken down by location and type.
	In, cases where SFA or SLA is required but not available, substitute accommodation might be sourced from the commercial rental markets. The Department currently rents 1,245 Substitute Single Service Accommodation and 41 Substitute SFA properties in the inner London boroughs at an approximate monthly cost of £1.47 million.

Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the future aircraft carrier programme in each of the next five years.

Quentin Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 November 2008,  Official Report, column 667W.
	Following the equipment examination (EE) we decided to delay the carriers by one to two years, recognising that this would add cost. The new cost will be at least £4.6 billion but we are not yet able to provide a final estimate.
	We do not release annual funding profiles as these are planning assumptions that are inevitably subject to a significant amount of variation, and their availability could also prejudice commercial interests.

Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) required and  (b) actual crew number for each helicopter type was in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: Historical figures for helicopter crew numbers are not held in the format requested. The numbers of aircrew personnel for each helicopter type are provided in the following tables.
	
		
			  Royal Navy 
			  As at 1 July 2009  Required strength  Actual strength 
			 Lynx Mk3/8 133 124 
			 Lynx Mk7/9 20 20 
			 Merlin Mk1 189 174 
			 Sea King Mk4/6 139 139 
			 Sea King Mk5 68 65 
			 Sea King Mk7 46 43 
		
	
	
		
			  Army Air Corps 
			  As at 6 July 2009  Required strength  Actual strength 
			 Apache AH Mk1 100 80 
			 Lynx Mk7/9 100 106 
			 Gazelle Mk1 34 34 
			 Dauphin N3 AH Mk1 7 6 
			 Bell 212 24 24 
			 SAAVN(1) 46 41 
			 (1) SAAVN figures cannot be split by aircraft type (AH/Squirrel/Lynx/Gazelle). 
		
	
	
		
			  Royal Air Force 
			  As at 6 July 2009  Required strength  Actual strength 
			 Chinook 262 222 
			 Merlin Mk3/3a 159 130 
			 Puma 127 129 
			 Sea King Mk3/3a 140 132 
		
	
	
		
			  Defence Helicopter Flying School 
			  As at 6 July 2009  Required strength  Actual strength 
			 Squirrel 20 18 
			 Griffin 62 61 
		
	
	Required and actual strengths will both vary with time due to many factors including operational requirements, the introduction of newly trained crew on completion of training courses at set times during the year, the number of trained personnel assigned to non-flying duties (as part of the necessary broader career development), injuries, and service leavers.
	In addition, the RAF is going through a high level of change with aircrafts drawing down, going through structure change, forming new squadrons or bringing new aircraft into service. Therefore, crew figures are fluctuating on a daily basis.
	The helicopter fleet is managed to ensure that our operational and other commitments are met, including an 84 per cent. increase in flying hours in Afghanistan between November 2006 and April 2009.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) required and  (b) actual number of pilots in the armed forces is for the Sea King HAR3/3A helicopters.

Bill Rammell: The required and actual number of pilots in the armed forces for the Sea King HAR3/3A helicopters is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Aircraft type: Sea King HAR3/3A 
			   Number 
			 Required pilots 66 
			 Actual pilots 64 
		
	
	A difference between the 'required' and 'actual' number of pilots is to be expected. The variation is due to a number of factors such as promotion, assignment to other aircraft or ground posts, medical downgrading and leaving the service.

Military Aircraft

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the merits of deploying single propeller-driven aircraft in theatre for ground attack and surveillance.

Bill Rammell: Commanders on the ground already have access to a broad range of surveillance and ground attack capabilities and, while we keep our requirements under constant review, there are currently no plans to deploy manned, single propeller-driven aircraft for ground attack or surveillance. We have though deployed the unmanned single propeller aircraft, UK Reaper and Hermes 450, in surveillance roles, with UK Reaper also providing a ground attack capability.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Board of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how the performance of the Board of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority in meeting its first priority to consumers is measured.

David Kidney: The Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (the authority) and its executive arm, Ofgem, have a primary duty to protect the interests of existing and future consumers.
	The authority is an independent economic regulator and is accountable to Parliament rather than to the Government. The Government nonetheless works closely with the authority and Ofgem in order to assess the operation of the market and outcomes for consumers, while respecting the regulator's independence.

Carbon Sequestration

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the statement on 23 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 382-84, on coal carbon capture and storage, whether any recent changes have been made to his Department's policy for the phased scaling of carbon capture and storage demonstration plants.

David Kidney: The detailed terms of the competition are not yet finalised. The overarching objectives of the CCS demonstration competition remain as stated in the Project Information Memorandum. A copy can be found at
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energymix/ccs/CCS_demonstrat/CCS_demonstrat.aspx

Carbon Sequestration: Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with Scottish energy companies on carbon capture and storage at power stations in Scotland.

David Kidney: Energy companies are key stakeholders of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and have an active interest in almost every aspect of the Department's work. The Department has regular and wide-ranging discussions with organisations and power companies about carbon capture and storage, including those with power stations based in Scotland.

Coal Investment Aid

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much Coal Investment Aid has been paid out in each parliamentary constituency.

David Kidney: A total of £52.8 million of Coal Investment Aid was paid to 12 mines during 2003-04 to 2008-09. Payments by constituency were as follows:
	
		
			  Constituency  Mine  Operator  CIA paid (£) 
			 Bassetlaw Harworth(1) UK Coal plc 4,201,556 
			  Welbeck UK Coal plc 7,785,898 
			 Berwick upon Tweed Ellington(1) UK Coal plc 849,620 
			 Cynon Valley Tower(2) Goitre Tower Anthracite Ltd 2,991,764 
			 NE Derbyshire Eckington Eckington Colliery Partnership 176,171 
			 Don Valley Rossington(1) UK Coal plc 2,687,075 
			 Neath Aberpergwm Energybuild Mining Ltd 3,501,977 
			 Pontefract Kellingley UK Coal plc 9,500,653 
			 Rother Valley Maltby(3) UK Coal plc 5,148,254 
			 Sherwood Thoresby UK Coal plc 4,973,282 
			 Wakefield Hay Royds Hay Royds Colliery LLP 137,300 
			 Warwickshire North Daw Mill UK Coal plc 10,863,398 
			 (1) Mine closed or mothballed before total awarded was drawn down in full. (2) Mine closed owing to exhaustion of viable reserves in 2008. (3) Mine sold to present operator after CIA drawn down in full under UKC.

Committee on Climate Change

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what remuneration his Department provides for the  (a) Chair and  (b) Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change; what the contracted hours of work of the Chairman are; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 6 July 2009
	 The chair of the Committee on Climate Change involves an average time commitment of approximately four days per month with a payment of £1,000 a day.
	The chief executive's current salary is £85,000 plus a bonus of between 10-20 per cent. of salary subject to performance targets being exceeded.

Departmental Accountancy

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to publish his Department's resource accounts for 2008-09.

Joan Ruddock: DECC expects to publish the 2008-09 resource accounts on 20 July 2009.

Departmental Data Protection

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what databases which will be managed by his Department or its agency and which will contain personal information are  (a) under construction and  (b) expected to become operational in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: No such databases are under construction or expected to become operational within the next five years.

Departmental Databases

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information databases his Department  (a) maintain and  (b) uses which contain personal information.

Joan Ruddock: The Department holds a large number of databases ranging in size. These include corporate databases, access databases held by units within the Department and a large number of spreadsheets of data of which certainly the larger and more sophisticated could be described as fulfilling a database function. The vast majority of these databases and systems can be expected to a greater or lesser extent to contain personal data. It is not possible due to disproportionate costs to identify those databases which do not contain personal data.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what categories of personal information about members of the public are contained on each relevant database managed by his Department and its agencies; on what date each category of information began to be collected; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has registered all the purposes for which it processes personal data in form of a notification which is held by the Information Commissioner's Office, and is publicly available on the Data Protection Registry. The notification contains categories of data subject for each registered purpose; recipients to whom DECC intends to disclose the data and name or a description of any countries or territories outside the European economic area to which DECC transfers or intends to transfer the data.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each database expected to become operational in the next five years and which will be managed by his Department; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: DECC has no such databases under construction or expected to become operational within the next five years.

Departmental Press

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what  (a) newspapers and  (b) periodicals are delivered to the private office of each Minister in his Department; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures are available.

Joan Ruddock: The private office group within the Department receives copies of  The Financial Times , Observer, Guardian, Independent, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, The Sun, The Times, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Economist, Spectator and  New Statesman. The costs of the newspapers are met by the communications group as part of a central contract.

EC Law

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of statutory obligations provided for by legislation on matters for which his Department is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Kidney: It is very difficult to provide precise figures for the proportion of UK legislation that stems from the European Union.
	The administrative burdens measurement exercise carried out by the Government in 2006 put the proportion of administrative burdens stemming from the EU at approximately one-third of the total administrative burden.
	The important issue is not the origins of legislation, which could of course be a devolved Administration or a local authority, as well as the Government or the EU, but the quality of the regulation. All regulations, irrespective of their origins, should comply with the principles of better regulation. Regulations should be risk based, proportionate and well designed, so as to achieve their objectives while also keeping costs to a minimum. The Government continue to work with European partners to ensure that EU regulations meet these standards.

Energy

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage the development of products and services designed to meet the energy needs of older people.

David Kidney: The Department has negotiated a voluntary agreement with energy companies under which they will contribute £125 million this year and £150 million in 2010-11 to measures designed to address the energy needs of vulnerable consumers including the elderly.
	Energy companies must meet at least 40 per cent. of their carbon emissions reduction target obligations in a priority group of low-income consumers who are in receipt of benefits or are aged 70 and over. The DECC funded warm front scheme offers energy efficiency measures to householders, including those over 60, in receipt of qualifying benefits. In addition, the Department is developing its approach to the roll-out of smart metering, which will take into account its impact on the elderly.

Energy Supply

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2009,  Official Report, column 122W, on energy supply, on what dates since October 2008 Ministers in his Department have met representatives of  (a) Ofgem,  (b) energy suppliers and  (c) energy consumer groups.

David Kidney: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not the normal practice of Government to make public details of such meetings.

Energy: Conservation

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department plans to take to encourage use of energy-efficient circulator pumps in  (a) domestic and  (b) non-domestic properties.

Joan Ruddock: Two energy-efficient circulator models are supported through the Government's flagship household energy efficiency policy, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target.
	Energy efficiency measures for households are also supported by a reduced rate of VAT for the professional installation of certain energy saving products, including hot water system controls and central heating system controls. Where circulator pumps fall within this description they will be eligible for the reduced rate.

Energy: Meters

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what further steps he plans to take to ensure that households with pre-payment meters are not charged more for energy than households without such meters.

David Kidney: holding answer 14 July 2009
	The Government believe that differences in charges relating to the method of payment should reflect the costs of servicing that method, and should not discriminate unfairly against any group of customers. Therefore, we strongly support the regulator Ofgem's work putting in place rules to ensure that prices paid by consumers are cost reflective.

Energy: Meters

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with Ofcom on the communication data from smart meters.

David Kidney: My officials have had discussions with Ofcom officials about the roll out of smart meters in Great Britain and will continue to do so during the preparation for roll out.

Energy: Prices

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many representations he has received on the clarity of information on energy bills and tariffs since the Ofgem Energy Supply Probe was launched in February 2008.

David Kidney: To provide an exact count of all items of correspondence or other communications received by Ministers in the last 17 months referring to information for energy consumers and/or tariffs could be provided only at disproportionate cost, since that information is not held centrally.
	DECC believes that it is vital that consumers have access to the best possible information on bills and tariffs. The detailed provisions relating to energy bills and tariffs are a matter for the independent regulator Ofgem who has consulted widely on new measures to improve the clarity and nature of billing and tariff information available to consumers. Ofgem is currently considering consultation responses and working with consumer bodies including  Which and Consumer Focus and with other organisations to develop new rules.

Energy: Prices

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will discuss with energy supply companies the development of green energy tariffs designed to meet the needs of older people.

David Kidney: Ministers discuss with energy suppliers various measures to support renewable energy and energy efficiency. Ministers are open to representations about how best to meet the needs of different groups of consumers.

Energy: Prices

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of trends in domestic energy prices; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: Global energy demand and wholesale prices have fallen since peaks last year. It is essential that falls in wholesale costs reach consumers. This is why we asked Ofgem to provide quarterly reports on price movements.
	Ofgem's most recent report found that margins are around historic levels, and falls in costs appear to be being passed on to consumers. We expect suppliers to continue to pass on any sustained falls in wholesale costs.

EU Laws

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the statutory obligations upon it provided for in legislation introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

David Kidney: It is very difficult to provide precise figures for the proportion of UK legislation that stems from the European Union.
	The administrative burdens measurement exercise carried out by the Government in 2006 put the proportion of administrative burdens stemming from the EU at approximately one-third of the total administrative burden.
	The important issue is not the origins of legislation, which could of course be a devolved Administration or a local authority, as well as the Government or the EU, but the quality of the regulation. All regulations, irrespective of their origins, should comply with the principles of better regulation. Regulations should be risk based, proportionate and well designed, so as to achieve their objectives while also keeping costs to a minimum. The Government continue to work with European partners to ensure that EU regulations meet these standards.

Garages and Petrol Stations

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many petrol stations in each parliamentary constituency in England have closed down in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many petrol stations there are in each parliamentary constituency in England.

David Kidney: The Department does not hold statistics on petrol stations by parliamentary constituency.

Industrial Diseases

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many legal actions have been initiated against his Department in respect of claims for  (a) vibration white finger and  (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in each of the last two years.

David Kidney: There have been 20 vibration white finger and three chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims litigated against the Department in the last two years.

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many payments in respect of claims for industrial deafness benefits were made to former mineworkers by his Department in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

David Kidney: The Department does not manage any industrial deafness benefits.
	However, the following table shows the total number of personal injury claims settled by payment and the total damages awarded for Noise Induced Hearing Loss scheme (NIHL) during 2008 and 2009 as at 30 June 2009.
	
		
			   Total claims settled  Total damages paid (£) 
			 2008 752 248,459 
			 2009 395 225,814

Industrial Diseases: Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many claims made by UDM-Vendside for compensation for  (a) vibration white finger,  (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and  (c) hearing loss have not been settled (i) in full and (ii) in part.

David Kidney: holding answer 14 July 2009
	The number of claims made by UDM-Vendside under the vibration white finger (VWF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) schemes and noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) that have not been settled in full and final payment and those where no interim payment has been made as at 5 July 2009 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Scheme  Total claims outstanding  Total claims-number of interim payment made 
			 VWF 117 68 
			 COPD 423 242 
			 NIHL 851 852

Influenza: Contingency Planning

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department at each payband are working on contingency arrangements in the energy industry for pandemic flu.

David Kidney: Currently there are 14 officials working in part on contingency arrangements for pandemic flu broken down as follows:
	1 x SCS
	1 x Grade 6
	4 x Grade 7s
	4 x SEOs
	1 x HEO
	3 x EOs.
	Our response arrangements are kept under review.

Influenza: Contingency Planning

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with  (a) National Grid,  (b) energy supply companies and  (c) electricity generators on contingency planning for pandemic flu since 1 January 2009.

David Kidney: DECC officials have been working closely with National Grid, energy companies and electricity generators through the Energy Emergencies Executive Committee (E3C) on contingency arrangements for a pandemic influenza. Ministers are updated regularly and work is continuing to ensure the energy sector is well prepared should there be any impact on energy supplies. DECC Ministers have been advised by National Grid that robust contingency arrangements are in place to maintain energy supplies during a flu pandemic.
	Currently, energy supplies are being delivered normally.
	Along with other Government Departments, DECC Ministers and officials have also been in attendance at the weekly meetings of the Civil Contingencies Committee, held at COBR, which decides the overall Government response strategy to the pandemic.

Influenza: Contingency Planning

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether Ministers in his Department plan to meet  (a) the National Grid,  (b) energy supply companies and  (c) electricity generators to discuss contingency arrangements for pandemic influenza in the next three months.

David Kidney: Ministers meet regularly with National Grid, energy companies, and electricity generators to discuss a wide range of factors that could impact on energy supplies, including the risks to energy supplies of pandemic flu. I plan to meet shortly with National Grid and one of the issues for discussion will be contingency arrangements for pandemic flu. Regular updates on the pandemic flu outbreak are provided to the energy sector by DECC officials, and through Business Link, Directgov, Department of Health and NHS websites.

Influenza: Contingency Planning

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department has taken to acquire stocks of  (a) influenza vaccine and  (b) anti-viral medicine; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The Department has taken no steps to acquire stocks of anti-viral medicine or influenza vaccines.

International Renewable Energy Agency: Location

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether a decision has been made on the location of the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA); for which location the UK voted in the Preparatory Commission for IRENA; and how much funding his Department has allocated for UK participation in IRENA.

David Kidney: The Second Preparatory Commission meeting in Egypt on 29-30 June decided by consensus, rather than a vote, that the interim headquarters for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) would be based in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This was fully supported by the UK. The final budget for IRENA remains to be decided but the indicative allocation for the UK for 2010 is $1.39 million.

Lighting

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the number of  (a) households,  (b) businesses and  (c) hospitals which use energy-efficient light bulbs.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 9 July 2009
	The information is as follows:
	 (a) Under the Government's household carbon saving obligation on energy suppliers since 2002, currently known as the carbon emissions reduction target, energy suppliers have distributed or sold with subsidy via retail outlets some 290 million high efficiency bulbs to GB households. In principle this would allow all GB households to benefit.
	 (b) The Department does not hold information on the number of businesses using energy-efficient light bulbs.
	 (c) Neither my Department nor the Department of Health holds information on the number of hospitals using energy-efficient light bulbs.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the funding provided for phases one and two of the low carbon buildings programme in advance of receipts from  (a) feed-in tariffs and  (b) a renewable heat incentive under the provisions of the Energy Act 2008.

David Kidney: To ensure adequacy of funding for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in advance of the introduction of feed-in tariffs and a renewable heat incentive, the Government recently committed a further £45 million bringing total support to over £130 million. Of the £45 million additional funding £10 million has been allocated to Phase 1 and £35 million to Phase 2.
	To date, Phase 1 has committed £9.2 million. Phase 2 has committed £49.8 million. The Low Carbon Buildings Programme will be superseded by feed-in tariffs in 2010 and renewable heat incentives in 2011.

Low Carbon Loans

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much new funding for low-carbon loans announced in Budget 2009 will be provided through the Carbon Trust in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) subsequent years.

David Kidney: Budget 2009 announced £100 million for loans to help small and medium sized businesses install energy saving measure. Of this, up to £83.9 million is available in England through the Carbon Trust. This comprises up to £67.1 million in 2009-10 and up to £16.8 million in 2010-11. This funding operates for two financial years only. The trust's existing loan scheme will continue to provide funding for loans in future years.
	Budget 2009 also provided £65 million for loans to install energy efficiency measures in public sector organisations. Of this, up to £54.5 million is available in England in 2009-10 through Salix Finance, a subsidiary of the Carbon Trust.
	For both schemes the remainder of the funds announced goes to the devolved Administrations.

Members: Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to reply to the letter of 10 June 2009 from the right hon. Member for Banff and Buchan on his constituent Mr. Thomson.

Joan Ruddock: My noble Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change responded to the right hon. Member on 13 July, 2009.

Miners: Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many personal addresses of former mineworkers his Department and its predecessors have supplied to the Legal Complaints Service to assist them in reclaiming fees wrongly charged by solicitors and claims handlers.

David Kidney: The Department provided 3,651 living claimant addresses from the Rother Valley constituency to the Legal Complaints Service (LCS) in July 2007, following which each individual claimant was written to and invited to attend an information session headed by my right hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron).
	There have been no further requests to date.

Nuclear Power Stations: Construction

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects the first of the new nuclear power stations to be producing energy for the National Grid.

David Kidney: Government remain committed to enabling new nuclear build as soon as possible. The indicative timeline we published in January 2009, set out that we expect the first new nuclear power station to become operational in 2018, or sooner if possible.

Nuclear Power Stations: Security

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many reports of breaches of exclusion zones around nuclear facilities by airborne craft have been filed by operators of civil nuclear installations in each year since 2003; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each such report.

Paul Clark: I have been asked to reply.
	Since 2003, the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) aviation regulation enforcement department have investigated 12 reports of alleged breaches of the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying)(Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2002. These reports are summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  Offence  Location  Legislation reference  Description  Outcome  Closed 
			 23 April 2004 AWE Aldermaston AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations), Regulations 2002 Hot air balloon flying in the restricted area of AWE Aldermaston nuclear installation No further action. no evidence of any offence 11 June 2004 
			 23 April 2004 AWE Aldermaston AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations), Regulations 2002 Hot air balloon flying in the restricted area of AWE Aldermaston nuclear installation The pilot has been given a formal caution 5 August 2004 
			 25 April 2004 Berkeley power station AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations), Regulation 2002 Hot air balloon passed over nuclear licensed site approximately 1500 ft. within the two mile exclusion zone No further action. no evidence 25 May 2004 
			 7 May 2004 Bradwell power station AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations), Regulation 2002 Aircraft allegedly flew approximately 500 ft. of a nuclear installation and well within the two mile exclusion zone performing aerobatics The pilot has been sent a warning letter 14 July 2004 
			 31 July 2004 Heysham nuclear power station Article 85, ANO 2000 Helicopter landed in the restricted zone of Heysham nuclear power station Lancaster magistrates court 8 April 2005. Pilot pleaded guilty to a breach of Article 85, ANO 2000. He was fined £750 and ordered to pay costs of £500 8 April 2005 
			 13 October 2004 Berkeley and Oldbury power stations AN (Restriction of Flying) Regulations 2002 Infringement of a restricted area over a nuclear installation The pilot has been sent an advisory letter 21 January 2005 
			 1 October 2004 Bradwell power station AN (Restriction of Flying) Regulations 2002 Infringement of a restricted area over a nuclear installation Insufficient evidence to proceed 25 November 2004 
			 21 November 2004 Chapel Cross nuclear power station AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2002 Infringement of nuclear site The pilot has been sent a warning letter 26 April 2005 
			 29 January 2006 AWE Aldermaston AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2002 Low flying over a nuclear establishment No further action. no witnesses came forward. 14 March 2006 
			 17 July 2006 AWE Burghfield AN (Restrictions of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regulations 2002 Low flying over a nuclear establishment Insufficient evidence to proceed 6 October 2006 
			 21 September 2007 Springfields, nr. Preston AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regs. 2002 Low flying over a nuclear establishment Insufficient evidence to proceed 11 March 2008 
			 5 October 2007 Dungeness power station, Kent AN (Restriction of Flying) (Nuclear Installations) Regs. 2002 Infringement and low flying over a nuclear establishment The pilot has been sent a warning letter 31 October 2007

Nuclear Power: Job Creation

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will discuss with the energy industry the employment opportunities for British workers arising from any programme to build new nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: There are already 44,000 workers employed in the civil nuclear industry in the UK. New nuclear build in the UK has the potential to require thousands of workers and Government are working to ensure that the contribution of UK workers to nuclear new build projects is maximised. The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and Low Carbon Industrial Strategy published yesterday (15 July) explains this in more detail.
	We are already taking action to make sure that Britain will have the skills base to make the most of these opportunities. Specifically we are improving science provision in schools, have charged the Sector Skills Council with taking forward a training strategy, and have helped set up the National Skills Academy for Nuclear to improve the supply of specialist skills at all levels. In addition, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) is conducting a review of productivity and skills in the engineering construction sector which will establish whether there is anything more Government or industry can do to ensure British firms and workers are fully equipped to fill vital jobs in nuclear new build and other large scale engineering construction.
	DECC Ministers have regular discussions with the energy industry about skills development issues relating to new nuclear build. In addition the Office for Nuclear Development (OND) in DECC has fostered links with all of the various skills bodies, other Government Departments, academia and industry involved in the nuclear sector to ensure that all are working towards the same goals of ensuring enough skilled people to build a new generation of nuclear power stations.
	There is close working between DECC and BIS on these issues.

Nuclear Trust: Finance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assets are held by the Nuclear Trust; and what his most recent estimate is of their monetary value.

David Kidney: The Nuclear Trust owns the Nuclear Liabilities Fund which is responsible for meeting the decommissioning cost of British Energy's existing nuclear power stations, together with defuelling costs and certain British Energy uncontracted liabilities. Some 90 per cent. of the fund's assets are invested in deposits in public sector accounts but there is also a portfolio of equities and property. The most recent estimate of the value of the fund's assets, as at 31 March 2009, is £8.276 million.

Public Expenditure

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the  (a) £100 million in capital funding brought forward to 2009-10 and  (b) £50 million of capital spending brought forward from 2010-11 to 2008-09 on the number of homes in which energy efficient and heating measures will be installed under the Warm Front programme; and how much of the funding has been spent in each month since it was announced.

David Kidney: On 11 September 2008, the Government announced an increase to Warm Front funding of £74 million (2008-09: £50 million and 2009-10: £24 million). Funding for the scheme increased further on 24 November 2008 through the pre-Budget report process with an additional £50 million for years 2008-09 and 2009-10. As part of the pre-Budget report, Warm Front spend was re-profiled to bring forward £50 million from 2010-11 to 2009-10.
	The following table details a breakdown of the monthly spend for this additional funding and the number of households assisted.
	
		
			   Spend (£000)  Number of h ouseholds assisted 
			  Pre-Budget report 2008-09 (£50 million)   
			 December 2008 10,119 3,362 
			 January 2009 9,847 4,850 
			 February 2009 14,234 4,804 
			 March 2009 15,800 21,674 
			 Total 50,000 34,690 
			
			  Pre-Budget Report 2009-10 (£50 million) + £50 million brought forward from 2010-11   
			 April 2009 43,273 17,690 
			 May 2009 56,044 19,982 
			 June 2009 - - 
			 Total 99,317 37,672 
			
			  Home Energy Savings Programme 2008-09  (£50 million)   
			 October 2008 9,806 8,138 
			 November 2008 9,514 8,138 
			 December 2008 14,584 8,153 
			 January 2009 10,855 7,893 
			 February 2009 4,953 - 
			 March 2009 288 - 
			 Total 50,000 32,322 
			
			  Home Energy Savings Programme 2009-10 (£24 million)   
			 April 2009 - - 
			 May 2009 10,286 1,022 
			 June 2009 2,997 3,878 
			 Total 13,283 4,900

Radioactive Waste: Exports

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward legislative proposals to permit the export of graphite nuclear waste to the United States; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: There are currently no proposals to bring forward legislation to permit the export of graphite nuclear waste to the United States of America.
	The Government's policy, as set out in the Command Paper 2919, is that radioactive waste should not be exported from the UK except in circumstances where it is to be treated so that its storage and/or disposal is more manageable; where other countries have the ability to deal with it appropriately; and where it will not add materially to their existing radioactive waste legacy.

UDM-Vendside

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Ministers of his Department and its predecessors have met representatives of UDM-Vendside in each year since 1997.

David Kidney: There is no record of any Minister having met the UDM or Vendside.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Indian Ocean Territory

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to the European Court of Human Rights on the application made by the Chagos Islanders.

Chris Bryant: The Government have been invited by the Court to submit written observations on the admissibility and merits of the application by the Chagos Islanders and to inform the Registry of the Government's position concerning a friendly settlement. Due to the very recent receipt of submissions on behalf of Interveners, the Government are now seeking a short extension to the deadline of 17 July 2009 set by the Court. As my hon. Friend will be aware, we do not discuss the details of legal pleadings in cases to which we are a party while they are in the process of formulation. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to discuss the Government's response in advance.

Departmental Data Protection

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what databases which will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies and which will contain personal information are  (a) under construction and  (b) expected to become operational in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: There are no major databases under construction or expected to go live in the next five years in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what categories of personal information about members of the public are contained on each relevant database managed by his Department and its agencies; on what date each category of information began to be collected; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s Data Protection Register entry with the Information Commissioner's Office details the general categories for which the Department processes personal data for its work. They are staff administration; advertising, marketing and public relations; accounts and records; and to work for the UK's interests in a safe, just and prosperous world. The register entry is to be renewed in September this year. Establishing the date on which each category of information began to be collected by the FCO and its agencies could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) photocopiers,  (b) scanning devices and  (c) fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, there are in his Department; how many there were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: Responsibility for the purchase of photocopiers, scanning devices and fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, is devolved to individual budget holders worldwide. This information is not held centrally and the question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has taken an active role in the Greening Government ICT strategy by providing a detailed plan for the FCO. Part of this includes examining its print policy with a view to reducing the FCO's overall printer count.

Departmental Furniture

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department's agencies spent on furniture in each of the last five years.

Chris Bryant: This information is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Manpower

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of his Department's staff deployed in each region of Afghanistan  (a) have been trained in each year since 2001 and  (b) are being trained in each local Afghan language.

Ivan Lewis: Since 2004, five Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff have studied Pashto before being deployed in Afghanistan. 21 staff have also been trained in Dari-often building on an existing language base of Farsi-before working in Afghanistan. Currently there are nine studying Dari, who are due to be deployed to Afghanistan later this year.
	We only started to hold management information about language skills centrally in 2004. Our system records those who have passed exams on completion of language courses funded by the FCO, so may not include those who did not take an examination, those whose acquisition of the language was not the result of class-based instruction, or whose studies were not funded by the FCO.

Departmental Manpower

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many reception staff his Department employs at  (a) its offices in King Charles Street,  (b) other locations in the UK and  (c) overseas posts.

Chris Bryant: Across the UK estate the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has nine full time reception positions. The staff members who fill these positions are provided as part of the UK Reception Services Contract.
	Responsibility for procuring reception services overseas has been devolved to posts within the FCO overseas estate. Each post would need to be contacted to obtain the details of their reception employees. As the information relating to reception staff overseas is not held centrally, it could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

EU Law

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the statutory obligations upon it provided for in legislation introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of statutory obligations provided for by legislation on matters for which his Department is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Bryant: It is very difficult to provide precise figures for the proportion of UK legislation that stems from the European Union.
	The administrative burdens measurement exercise carried out by the Government in 2006 put the proportion of administrative burdens stemming from the EU at approximately one-third of the total administrative burden. However, this applies across Government and is not specific to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which is directly responsible for less EU legislation than some other Departments.
	The important thing is not the origins of a legislation, which could be a devolved Administration or a local authority as well as the Government or the EU, but the quality of the regulation. All regulations, irrespective of their origins, should comply with the principles of better regulation. Regulations should be risk based, proportionate and well designed, so as to achieve their objectives while also keeping costs to a minimum. The Government continue to work with European partners to ensure that EU regulations meet these standards.

Forced Marriages: Victim Support Schemes

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the Forced Marriage Unit's effectiveness in reducing the number of forced marriages; and how many forced marriages reported to the unit involved people under 16 years old in the last 12 months.

Chris Bryant: The Forced Marriage Unit has been a great success in encouraging people to report potential instances of forced marriage, in intervening in specific cases and in getting across the message that forced marriage is not acceptable in any culture or any religion.
	The very nature of forced marriage means that it is likely that a number of cases go unreported. In recent years Government action to address forced marriage has focused on encouraging victims and potential victims to come forward and seek help.
	Partly as result of growing awareness of the support available, the number of cases coming to our attention is rising. Last year the Forced Marriage Unit, a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office Unit, received over 1,600 reports of suspected incidences of forced marriage to its helpline. Of these the unit directly intervened to help victims in 420 cases, which included overseas assistance and support to reluctant sponsors in immigration cases. 14 per cent. of overseas assistance cases involved people under 16 years old.
	So far this year, figures for January to June show that the unit received 770 calls to its helpline in relation to incidence of forced marriage, which represents an increase in those seeking help of 16 per cent. over the same period last year.

Foreign Policy

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the Government's foreign policy on levels of violent extremism in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We recognise that individual reactions to UK foreign policies can be a factor in radicalisation, and that violent extremists exploit this when recruiting others to their cause. But we also know that radicalisation occurs for a wide range of complex and personal reasons.
	We work to explain our foreign policy, dealing with misperceptions that exist. Overseas we do this through media and public diplomacy work. To encourage debate and engagement in the UK we have a programme of outreach to communities by Ministers and senior officials on important foreign policy issues.

Freedom of Information

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to volume 2, page 41 of his Department's Annual Report for 2008-09, what proportion of the requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 received in 2008 were from foreign embassies, high commissions or governments; what proportion of such requests resulted in full or partial disclosures of information; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: Freedom of Information requests received at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are recorded and logged on a database by the date received and by the name of the requestor.
	Information about the company or organisation the requestor may represent is not recorded. Requests from foreign embassies, high commissions or governments cannot therefore be identified without incurring disproportionate cost.

Honduras: Politics and Government

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the authorities in Honduras on the principle of democracy and the restoration of the government and President Zelaya.

Chris Bryant: holding answer 14 July 2009
	As Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister responsible for our relations with central America, I issued an immediate public statement on 28 June 2009 following President Zelaya's forcible removal from Honduras. In this statement the UK condemned the expulsion and called for the restoration of democratic, constitutional government in Honduras. The UK supported the UN General Assembly Resolution, adopted unanimously on 30 June 2009, which called for the restoration of the government in Honduras. We have also supported a series of EU declarations, issued on 29 June 2009, 2 July 2009 and 7 July 2009. The most recent of these declarations supported efforts to seek a peaceful negotiated solution to the crisis, and welcomed the mediation role played by President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias.

Iran: Asylum

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues on the effect on policy on Iranian asylum seekers of the recent unrest in Iran.

Ivan Lewis: None. However, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office officials regularly review the country guidance on which asylum decisions are based. We continue to monitor closely the political and human rights situation in Iran through key governmental, non-governmental and other human rights organisations.
	All Iranian asylum and human rights applications are considered by the Home Office on their individual merits, in accordance with obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. Each application is assessed against the latest available information about the situation in Iran. Specially trained case owners consult these sources via the Iran Country of Origin Information Report produced by the UK Border Agency's Country of Origin Information Service published at
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/country_reports.html#countries
	and the Iran Operational Guidance Note which gives guidance on the most common types of asylum claims received and the circumstances in which they are likely to prove founded or unfounded.

Israel

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the government of Israel on the reported boarding of, and removal of persons from, a Free Gaza boat in international waters by Israeli troops; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, on 1 July 2009 and raised the issue with him. The Foreign Secretary asked whether or not the Spirit of Humanity was intercepted in international waters. We will continue to press the Israeli Government for clarification.

Northern Ireland

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many residents of Northern Ireland received consular assistance from his Department in the last year for which figures are available.

Chris Bryant: The configuration of our consular database does not make it possible to break down assistance statistics by place of residence. Figures for the number of Northern Ireland residents assisted are therefore not available.

Palestinians: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether officials of his Department have held recent meetings with representatives of labour rights groups in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory to discuss labour conditions in that territory.

Ivan Lewis: There have been no recent meetings.

Palestinians: Israel

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has received requests from UK companies for advice on obligations under international law in respect of trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: We consider all settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to be illegal under international law, and a serious obstacle to peace, and have made this position clear.
	The import of goods from settlements was discussed at a roundtable meeting hosted by Cabinet Office officials regarding proposed voluntary guidance on the labelling of settlement produce in March. That meeting was attended by representatives of Government, retailers and some UK companies.
	We have not provided legal advice on UK companies' obligations in relation to trade with Israeli settlements, on which UK companies should of course take their own independent advice.

Travel Information: Finance

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on its Know Before You Go initiative in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s Know Before You Go campaign encourages travellers to be better prepared before going overseas so they can stay safe and healthy. Our key messages encourage travellers to take out comprehensive travel insurance, find out about the country they are intending to visit, and read our travel advice. Publicity initiatives include, for example, maintaining a dedicated section of the FCO web site, producing bespoke media campaigns to reach our key target audiences, working with over 300 campaign partners to deliver travel safety messages directly to travellers and producing television fillers shown in free-to-air airtime.
	Spending on the Know Before You Go initiative since 2001 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2001-02 754,939.00. 
			 2002-03 616,447.00. 
			 2003-04 811,819.00. 
			 2004-05 (1)- 
			 2005-06 (1)- 
			 2006-07 924,000 
			 2007-08 1,132,768 
			 2008-09 1,494,126 
			 (1) Figures unavailable

Turkey: EU Accession

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on Turkey's accession to the EU; and what recent discussions he had with his  (a) French and  (b) German counterparts on Turkish accession.

Chris Bryant: The Government remain a strong advocate and supporter of Turkish accession to the EU, and reaffirm this at each possible opportunity. The UK works closely with other EU member states to take forward the accession negotiations and supports Turkey's reform process to ensure that EU negotiations remain on track.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary regularly meets his French and German counterparts. He met France's Foreign Affairs Minister, Bernard Kouchner, most recently at the France summit in July where they discussed political and technical issues in relation to the EU accession negotiations.
	Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead, the Minister for Europe, recently met her French counterpart, Pierre Lellouche, to whom she emphasised that the EU accession process was key to reforms in Turkey. Baroness Kinnock spoke in early July to her German counterpart, Gunther Gloser, about EU issues, including enlargement.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Crime Prevention

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Serious Crime Prevention Orders have been issued in Northern Ireland to date.

Paul Goggins: There have been four serious crime prevention orders issued in Northern Ireland to date.

Damian McBride

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date he last met Mr. Damian McBride in the course of his official duties.

Shaun Woodward: I have not met with Mr. Damian McBride in the course of my official duties.

Departmental Data Protection

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) attempts and  (b) successful attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to each (i) database and (ii) ICT system run by his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office does not maintain a record of unsuccessful attempts to gain unauthorised access to its databases or ICT systems. There have been no successful attempts to gain access to any departmental databases or ICT systems in the last five years.

Kidnapping

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many so-called tiger kidnappings have been carried out in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: The figures are recorded per financial year. In the last year (April 2008 to March 2009), there have been six tiger kidnaps carried out in Northern Ireland.

Kidnapping

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were arrested for offences connected with so-called tiger kidnappings in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the chief constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Northern Ireland Forensic Science Agency

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost to the public purse of Forensic Science Northern Ireland was in the 12 months  (a) before and  (b) after the changes made to its Operations Directorate in January 2008.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) For the year 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2008 the costs were £9,982,252.
	(b) For the year 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2009 the costs were £10,488,500.
	The figures provided reflect the sum total of all the changes in FSNI and do not relate solely to changes made to the Operations Directorate.

Proceeds of Crime

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of assets recovered from organised crime in Northern Ireland the Community Fund will allocate to communities in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: In June I announced the establishment of a dedicated Community Fund for Northern Ireland which this year will give £175,000 to the Departments of Social Development and Culture, Arts and Leisure for distribution to NI communities most affected by crime.

Terrorism

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many armed robberies are known to have been carried out by  (a) dissident republicans and  (b) loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland in each of the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

OLYMPICS

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many breaches of information security there have been at her Office in the last five years.

Tessa Jowell: My ministerial portfolio requires my Office to operate across the estates of the Cabinet Office and Department for Culture, Media and Sport. I therefore refer the hon. Member to the answers to be provided by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Angela E. Smith) and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

Olympic Games 2012: Employment

Alistair Burt: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what percentage of construction workers employed at the Olympic Park are  (a) UK,  (b) other EU and  (c) non-EU nationals.

Tessa Jowell: The latest available nationality data provide a snap shot of the contracted work force at the end of October 2008, and were published by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in December 2008. These data showed that of the 3,046 people employed on the Olympic Park at that time:
	 (a) 63 per cent. were British
	 (b) 86 per cent. were EU nationals and
	 (c) 14 per cent. non-EU nationals.
	The ODA works closely with the UK Border Agency to ensure that all workers on the site are legally entitled to work in the UK.
	The work force reflects both the diversity of London and the five host boroughs. The GLA 2006 annual population survey (published 2008) found that the percentages of five host borough residents born outside of the UK were: Newham 44 per cent; Tower Hamlet 39 per cent; Hackney 37 per cent; Waltham Forest 29 per cent; Greenwich 22 per cent. A whole range of measures has been put in place by the ODA and its partners to ensure local people are well placed to benefit from employment and training on the Olympic site including 48 hours exclusive access to vacancies through local job brokerage services.

Olympic Games 2012: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what recent assessment she has made of the economic effects of the London 2012 Olympics on  (a) Ribble Valley constituency and  (b) Lancashire.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 29 June 2009
	This Government are fully committed to maximising the economic benefits of the Games to the UK, particularly in these challenging economic times. Although no specific assessment has been made of the economic effects to the Ribble Valley constituency and Lancashire, the region stands to gain from a range of opportunities created by the Games. These include businesses winning Games-related work, increased tourism, as well as training and employment opportunities. The pre-Games training camps will enable regions to showcase themselves on an international stage and attract inward investment, and UKTI is helping businesses to use the Games as a springboard for export.
	We are already seeing progress in these areas. For example, 37 of the Olympic Delivery Authority's direct suppliers are businesses registered in the north-west; of these nine are in Lancashire, and two of these are registered in the Ribble Valley constituency. As well as these direct contracts, companies in the north-west are also winning businesses in the supply chains for the Games-for example, a Bolton-based company is providing steel for the Olympic Stadium. LOCOG's procurement will begin in earnest towards the end of the year, bringing further opportunities to businesses across the UK, including the north-west.
	The London 2012 Business Network is providing businesses across the UK access to Games-related contracts, and any support they need to compete for them. CompeteFor, the electronic brokerage service for buyers and suppliers, a key component of the network, is opening up supply chains further than any Games previously.
	A total of 68 facilities in the region are included in the official London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the North West Development Agency and the Oceania National Olympic Committees (representing 17 National Olympic Committees but excluding Australia and New Zealand). These 15 Pacific Island countries including Fiji and Papua New Guinea will use facilities in the region ahead of the Games in 2012.

Olympic Games 2012: Transport

Greg Knight: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1889-90W, on Olympic Games 2012: transport, what further steps she has taken to ensure than hon. and right hon. Members will not be delayed in travelling to the House during the period of the London 2012 Olympics; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 8 July 2009
	Further to my response to the hon. Member on 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1890W, I can confirm that the ODA continues to progress and develop its planning of the transport operations that will keep London moving during the Games. As the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act requires the ODA to keep its Olympic Transport Plan under review, the ODA intends to publish a revised plan in 2010 to update on the latest progress in ensuring safe, reliable and accessible transport for all London's visitors, residents and commuters-including Members of Parliament-over the duration of both the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Lasers

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many reported instances there were of aircraft safety being impaired by misuse of laser pointers in each of the last three years.

Paul Clark: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of laser incidents reported 
			 2006 8 
			 2007 30 
			 2008 206 
		
	
	The chart is from the Safety Data Department in the Civil Aviation Authority. It includes incidents reported in the UK and incidents overseas involving UK registered aircraft.
	Under Article 142 of the Air Navigation Order (ANO) pilots experiencing lasers directed at them are asked to report the event using the Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme. The CAA follows up each report and, where appropriate, prosecutes the offender.
	The Department for Transport is working on an amendment to Article 135 of the ANO to make it a specific offence to direct or shine light intentionally at an aircraft. The amendment will be published in the consolidated version of the ANO which will come into force in the autumn.

Cycling: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many  (a) fatal and  (b) non-fatal accidents involving cyclists were recorded on the roads in (i) Test Valley Borough and (ii) Southampton in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: The number of  (a) fatal and  (b) non-fatal reported personal injury road accidents involving cyclists in (i) Test Valley borough and (ii) Southampton in each of the last five years are given in the table:
	
		
			  Number of accidents 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  Test Valley  
			 Fatal 0 1 1 0 1 
			 Non-fatal 21 16 31 30 26 
			   
			  Southampton  
			 Fatal 0 0 1 1 2 
			 Non-fatal 102 92 115 120 116

Departmental Accountancy

Steve Webb: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport, when he expects to publish his Department's resource accounts for 2008-09.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has laid a combined annual report and accounts for 2008-09 in Parliament today. The resource accounts were certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General on 13 July.

Departmental Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his Department's equality impact assessment is of its new probation policy in relation to disability; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mole: The Central Department completed an equality impact assessment of its new probation policy and assessed it as having low negative impact. We are under a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled persons are not placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to those persons who are not disabled. This applies to our new probation policy and HR will monitor and review the process to ensure this is given full effect.

Departmental Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport for what reasons his Department's new probation policy does not give probationers the right to bring a grievance concerning the extension of probation.

Chris Mole: The Department's new probation policy complies with the ACAS Code of Practice on discipline and grievance. Moreover, it is essential for ensuring good administration that the Department manages performance effectively and requires that all new employees demonstrate their suitability for the role for which they have been employed. While a specific grievance procedure is not available in respect of decisions to extend, a probationary employee has a right to appeal against a decision to terminate their employment.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport who is responsible for the pay remit for each of his Department's agencies.

Chris Mole: Pay remits are prepared by or on behalf of each Agency's Chief Executive. Each Chief Executive is responsible for the pay remit of their Agency.

Departmental Performance Appraisal

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what proportion of  (a) male and  (b) female staff of his central Department have received the highest appraisal marking in each reporting year since the formation of the central Department.

Chris Mole: The proportions and numbers of staff, by gender, who have been appraised as exceeded (the highest appraisal mark) since the formation of the central Department for Transport in 2002 are set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Female  Total  Percentage  Male  Total  Percentage 
			 2002-2003 140 446 31.39 168 732 22.95 
			 2003-2004 169 555 30.45 237 965 24.56 
			 2004-2005 182 640 28.44 238 1039 22.91 
			 2005-2006 191 697 27.40 274 1148 23.87 
			 2006-2007 190 665 28.57 304 1105 27.51 
			 2007-2008 204 649 31.43 287 1084 26.48

Driving Standards Agency: Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much was paid in bonuses to  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff in the Driving Standards Agency in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: Bonus payments to  (a) directors are managed by the Department for Transport (Central Department). I refer the hon. Member to our answer of 26 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1567-68W.
	A comprehensive breakdown of  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff in the Driving Standards Agency can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, total figures for each of the last five financial years are as following:
	
		
			  Financial year  Pay bands 1-7 (£) 
			 2003-04 1,138,579 
			 2004-05 320,809 
			 2005-06 692,107 
			 2006-07 1,180,160 
			 2007-08 672,714

Driving: Working Hours

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of seeking an exemption from the EU drivers' hours directive for those who drive horseboxes over 7.5 tonnes for recreational purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: Given the flexibilities which already exist within the EU drivers' hours rules (Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006), we see little prospect of the European Commission agreeing to a UK request to exempt recreational drivers of horseboxes over 7.5 tonnes.
	It should still be possible for those in full-time employment who drive large horseboxes recreationally to schedule a reduced weekly rest period of 24 hours immediately before the equestrian event in question, or in between driving to and from the event (i.e. at the event itself) without the need for a derogation.

East Coast Railway Line

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the administrative and legal costs to the public purse of the franchising process were on each occasion when the East Coast Main Line franchise was let.

Chris Mole: holding answer 14 July 2009
	The costs to the Department for Transport for undertaking the re-franchising of the Inter City East Coast (ICEC) franchise in 2007 were £1,260,000 of which legal costs were £168,000. These costs were recovered from Sea Containers, Great North Eastern Railway's (GNER) parent company, under an agreement made between the Department and Sea Containers prior to GNER handing back the East Coast franchise.
	The previous re-franchising in 2005 was undertaken by the Strategic Rail Authority, in the normal course of business, at the end of GNER's franchise term at an additional cost of £2,362,000 of which legal costs were £408,000.
	The costs incurred by the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising in the original letting of the franchise in 1996 and the extension of the franchise in 2003 by the Strategic Rail Authority could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The costs of any re-franchising prior to the end of the full term of the current franchise are recoverable from a performance bond that will fall due under the current franchise agreement.

EU Laws

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of statutory obligations provided for by legislation on matters for which his Department is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the statutory obligations upon it provided for in legislation on matters for which it is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

Sadiq Khan: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is very difficult to provide precise figures for the proportion of UK legislation that stems from the European Union (EU).
	The administrative burdens measurement exercise carried out by the Government in 2006 put the proportion of administrative burdens stemming from the EU at approximately one third of the total administrative burden.
	The important thing is not the origins of a legislation, which could of course be a devolved Administration or a local authority, as well as the Government or the EU, but the quality of the regulation. All regulations, irrespective of their origins, should comply with the principles of better regulation. Regulations should be risk based, proportionate and well designed, so as to achieve their objectives while also keeping costs to a minimum. The Government continue to work with European partners to ensure that EU regulations meet these standards.

Members: Correspondence

Paul Goodman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wycombe of 13 May 2009 on Wycombe Air Park.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has no record of receiving a letter dated 13 May 2009 from the hon. Member for Wycombe regarding Wycombe Air Park.

Motorcycles: Driving Instruction

Lembit �pik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will publish the findings of the research commissioned by his Department, entitled In Depth Study of Motorcycle Training, due to have been completed in October 2007.

Paul Clark: We plan to publish the findings of the in depth study of motorcycle training by October 2009. The study was largely complete by early 2008 and provisional results were taken into account by the Driving Standards Agency in the design of the new motorcycle test that was introduced in April 2009. The report is currently being finalised by the research contractor, mainly to ensure it reflects changes to the testing regime.

Railways: Electrification

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how his Department co-ordinates its policy on electrification of rail routes with its procurement of rolling stock.

Chris Mole: The case for electrifying more of the rail network depends heavily on having suitable new or cascaded rolling stock to run on newly electrified lines. Consequently, the Department for Transport is incorporating rolling stock procurement and cascade issues into its analysis of electrification proposals.

Railways: Franchises

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of returning all rail franchises to public ownership.

Chris Mole: It is not the policy of the Government to operate rail franchises permanently in the public sector. In situations where the Government is obliged to do so on a temporary basis in order to fulfil its Operator of Last Resort duties under section 30 of the Railways Act 1993 the costs are usually met from the franchise's performance bond.

Railways: Franchises

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much revenue support  (a) First Great Western,  (b) First Capital Connect,  (c) National Express East Anglia,  (d) Northern Rail and  (e) Virgin West Coast have received from his Department under the terms in their respective franchise agreements to date.

Chris Mole: holding answer 14 July 2009
	Details of the money received and paid out under the revenue support and share arrangements between 2006-07 and 2008-09 are set out in the following table. No revenue support payments were made to these franchises under their franchise agreements prior to this:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Train operating company (TOC)  2008-09  2007-08  2006-07 
			  Revenue support paid
			 First Great Western 47.8 0.0 0.0 
			 First Capital Connect 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 National Express East Anglia 14.0 0.0 3.3 
			 Northern rail 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Virgin West Coast 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Total revenue support paid 61.8 0.0 3.3 
			 
			  Revenue share received
			 Northern Rail 7.8 6.3 2.3 
			 Virgin West Coast 33.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Total revenue share received 40.8 6.3 2.3

Railways: Franchises

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what his policy is on competition on the rail network; and if he will assess the level of competition between the train operating companies serving Torquay and Paignton stations.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not have a policy to achieve a defined level of competitive pressure between train operators offering the same journey, and in many parts of the rail network there is a single operator.
	The Office of the Rail Regulator has concurrent jurisdiction with the Office of Fair Trading to investigate potential breaches of the Competition Act 1998 in relation to the railways, and is also responsible for determining access rights for any open access train operators who may apply to operate a complementary and competitive rail service.

Roads: Construction

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much capital expenditure his Department has incurred on constructing new roads in each of the last 20 years.

Sadiq Khan: The following table provides information on net spend on Highways Agency major improvements since 1998-99. Information before this is not readily available due to systems and accounting changes and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Funding (£ million) 
			 1998-99 452 
			 1999-2000 318 
			 2000-01 299 
			 2001-02 424 
			 2002-03 483 
			 2003-04 235 
			 2004-05 317 
			 2005-06 483 
			 2006-07 814 
			 2007-08 759 
			 2008-09 725 
			  Note: 1998-99 to 2000-01 are outturns on a cash accounting basis; figures from 2001-02 onwards are on a resource accounting basis. 
		
	
	On local major road schemes which are promoted by the respective local highway authority, the Department does not hold information in a format which distinguishes expenditure incurred between local major road schemes and local major public transport schemes and this can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Rolling Stock

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department is taking to increase rolling stock available to the First Great Western franchise.

Chris Mole: We are in discussion with First Great Western regarding the provision of additional train capacity, and will make an announcement in due course.

Tolls

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what Government  (a) studies,  (b) trials and  (c) pilots have been commissioned on road pricing in each year since 1997; and how much each cost.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport has commissioned studies and trials since 1997 to increase its understanding of the key challenges of developing robust and reliable road user charging processes, procedures and technologies. These included the Road Pricing Feasibility Study, the DIRECTS trials on interoperability and other systems engineering studies which between them incurred total expenditure of approximately £29 million, between 1997 and 2007. We have no breakdown of this in the form requested. We have not commissioned any pilots on road pricing.
	Since 2007 effort has concentrated on the Demonstrations Project, examining the technology and processes that would be needed if any road pricing scheme was to have the ability to charge by time and distance travelled, as well as place. The first phases of this work are under way following the letting of contracts in September 2008, with a value of £10 million. The project has created a research environment to help us understand the feasibility, operational performance and business issues for market delivered services; however, the Government have no plans to introduce national road pricing.

West Coast Railway Line

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what account was taken of the travelling requirements of people attending the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final in scheduling maintenance work on the West Coast Main Line on the weekend of 28 and 29 August 2009.

Chris Mole: The planning and timing of engineering works is an operational matter for Network Rail under the national possessions regime overseen by the independent Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). Under this regime the majority of engineering possessions are specifically planned by industry-wide agreement, often up to 18 months in advance-and well before the identity of the Rugby League Cup Final teams becomes known.
	Network Rail advises that on Saturday 29, Sunday 30 and until 6.30 a.m on Monday 31 August it will be taking a number of possessions on the southern section of the West Coast Main Line, meaning this section of the line will be closed to train services. As a result, passengers travelling between Birmingham New Street and London will be on hourly shuttle services which will be diverted via the Chiltern Line, though the southbound services will still terminate at Euston.

CABINET OFFICE

Advertising Advisory Committee

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on what dates the Advisory Committee on Advertising has met in the last 12 months.

Tessa Jowell: The Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board (GSMAB) replaced the Advisory Committee on Advertising (ACA) in January 2008.
	The GSMAB has a wider remit than the ACA, not only holding the Central Office for Information (COI) to account but also all Government Departments.
	Under the new terms of reference, GSMAB aims to meet at least four times annually at the chairman's discretion.
	Over the last 12 months the board has met on the following dates:
	4 September 2008
	2 December 2008
	24 February 2009
	10 June 2009

Brain Cancer

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases of brain cancer were diagnosed in each strategic health authority area in each of the last six years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many cases of brain cancer were diagnosed in each strategic health authority area in each of the last six years.
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2006. Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of brain cancer in each strategic health authority area from 2001 to 2006 are in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of brain cancer( 1) , persons: strategic health authorities( 2)  in England, 2001 to 2006 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 North East 216 198 197 212 225 226 
			 North West 512 489 508 517 496 502 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 406 408 366 395 384 393 
			 East Midlands 303 306 308 335 342 327 
			 West Midlands 321 375 356 339 373 356 
			 East of England 397 376 395 370 407 382 
			 London 436 431 411 399 434 387 
			 South East Coast 331 343 340 320 303 316 
			 South Central 288 263 226 279 297 270 
			 South West 411 463 425 419 468 444 
			 (1) Brain cancer is coded to C71 in the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (2) Based on boundaries as of 2006.  Source: Office for National Statistics

Brain Cancer: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases of brain cancer were diagnosed in each primary care trust area within the ceremonial county of Hampshire for each of the last six years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many cases of brain cancer were diagnosed in each primary care trust area within the Ceremonial County of Hampshire for each of the last six years.
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2006. Numbers of newly diagnosed cases of brain cancer in each primary care trust area within the Ceremonial County of Hampshire from 2001 to 2006 are in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of brain cancer( 1) , persons: Primary Care Trusts( 2)  within the Ceremonial County of Hampshire, 2001 to 2006 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching 13 12 7 12 15 16 
			 Southampton City 18 17 5 18 17 15 
			 Hampshire 97 102 103 88 118 99 
			 (1) Brain cancer is coded to C71 in the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008  Source:  Office for National Statistics

Civil Servants: Vacancies

David Willetts: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many graduate vacancies in the Civil Service there  (a) were in 2008 and  (b) are expected to be in 2009.

Angela Smith: Departments and agencies undertake their own recruitment, and the Cabinet Office holds no data on graduate recruitment into the civil service generally.

Death

Anne Milton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many death certificates mentioning  (a) methadone,  (b) cannabis,  (c) benzodiazepine,  (d) barbiturates,  (e) steroids and  (f) stimulants were issued in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked it to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many death certificates mentioning (a) methadone, (b) cannabis, (c) benzodiazepine, (d) barbiturates, (e) steroids and (f) stimulants were issued in each of the last five years. (287370)
	The table attached provides the numbers of deaths where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and (a) methadone, (b) cannabis, (c) benzodiazepines (d) barbiturates or (e) steroids were mentioned on the death certificate, either alone or together with other substances, in England and Wales, from 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	Where more than one drug is mentioned on the death certificate, it is not always possible to tell which of them was primarily responsible for the death.
	Figures for deaths where stimulants are mentioned on the death certificate are not available. Stimulants include a broad range of substances, such as amphetamines and ecstasy, but there is no official definition that is used for statistical purposes.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths where drug poisoning was the underlying cause of death( 1)  and methadone, cannabis, benzodiazepines, barbiturates or steroids were mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales( 2) , 2003-07( 3) 
			  Deaths 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Methadone 201 219 220 241 325 
			 Cannabis 11 19 19 17 12 
			 Benzodiazepines 224 233 190 177 207 
			 Barbiturates 20 16 14 17 6 
			 Steroids 0 0 1 3 0 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the following table) and where the substances were mentioned on the death certificate either alone or together with other substances. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  ICD-10  Description 
			 F11-F16, F18-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 
			 X40-X44 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X60-X64 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X85 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 Y10-Y14 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

Death

Anne Milton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) men and  (b) women aged (i) under 20, (ii) 21-30, (iii) 31-40, (iv) 41-50, (v) 51-60 and (vi) 61 years and above died from an underlying cause which was (A) obesity-related, (B) diabetes-related, (C) drug-related, (D) eating disorder-related and (E) related to a sexually transmitted infection in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many (a) men and (b) women aged (i) under 20, (ii) between 21 and 30, (iii) between 31 and 40, (iv) between 41 and 50, (v) between 51 and 60 and (vi) 61 years and above died from an underlying cause which was (A) obesity-related, (B) diabetes-related, (C) drug-related, (D) eating disorder-related and (E) related to a sexually transmitted infection in each of the last 10 years. (287377)
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths for (a) males and (b) females aged (i) under 21(1), (ii) 21-30, (iii) 31-40, (iv) 41-50, (v) 51-60 and (vi) 61 years and over, where the underlying cause was (1) obesity (Table 1), (2) diabetes (Table 2), (3) an eating disorder (Table 3) or (4) a sexually transmitted infection (Table 4), in England and Wales, 1999 to 2008 (the latest year available), or (5) drug poisoning, in England and Wales, 1998 to 2007 (the latest year available) (Table 5).
	The figures provided in Tables 1 to 4 reflect the number of deaths certified as due to the specified conditions. It is not possible to identify all deaths 'related' to these conditions. For example, obesity may play an important role in deaths due to heart disease or diabetes, but is rarely recorded on the death certificate. The figures presented for obesity in Table 1 are therefore likely to underestimate the actual number of deaths in which this factor is involved.
	It is likely that the figures in Table 3 underestimate the actual number of deaths where an eating disorder was involved. This is because deaths registered after a coroner's inquest usually state the immediate physical condition which caused death as the underlying cause, and not any mental or behavioural disorder which may have led to that condition.
	ONS monitors deaths from drug-related poisoning using a special database, developed to enable the analysis of deaths by the specific substances involved.
	The deaths included are certified by Coroners following post-mortem and inquest. Figures for 1998 to 2007 have been provided as figures for 2008 are not yet available.
	(1) The specified age group 'under 20' has been amended to 'under 21' so as not to exclude deaths at age 20 from the table.
	
		
			  Table:  Number of deaths where the underlying cause was obesity( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 1999-2008( 3,4) 
			  Deaths 
			  Sex/age group  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  Males   
			 Under21 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21-30 3 4 0 2 4 4 2 3 3 2 
			 31-40 12 12 10 5 13 12 15 14 20 15 
			 41-50 8 12 17 19 16 13 18 25 28 36 
			 51-60 11 17 24 21 17 23 31 26 35 34 
			 61+ 15 21 18 19 25 30 24 30 32 47 
			
			  Females   
			 Under21 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21-30 1 4 2 2 3 2 3 3 5 8 
			 31-40 7 11 13 14 10 9 8 15 10 17 
			 41-50 18 12 18 18 30 22 21 23 18 30 
			 51-60 24 17 22 22 42 39 38 41 34 43 
			 61+ 61 51 62 54 67 63 72 81 76 106 
			 (1 )Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 278.0 (Obesity) for the years 1999-2000 and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code E66 (Obesity) for 2001 onwards.  (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.  (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of deaths where the underlying cause was diabetes( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 1999-2008( 3,4) 
			  Deaths 
			  Sex/age group  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  Males   
			 Under 21 3 7 2 6 7 5 4 5 4 6 
			 21-30 21 14 18 18 17 16 19 18 15 29 
			 31-40 54 54 55 50 57 54 37 45 33 47 
			 41-50 84 94 104 86 90 91 106 98 75 83 
			 51-60 230 187 237 204 205 182 180 166 153 167 
			 61+ 2,422 2,334 2,538 2,541 2,559 2,374 2,292 2,236 2,241 2,317 
			
			  Females   
			 Under21 10 3 7 6 5 5 8 6 7 5 
			 21-30 5 14 9 13 9 12 9 16 23 17 
			 31-40 22 43 35 49 30 28 29 32 37 20 
			 41-50 59 45 44 57 61 56 54 55 69 66 
			 51-60 124 119 104 128 149 115 108 122 109 101 
			 61+ 2,915 2,848 3,001 3,029 3,124 2,908 2,799 2,691 2,667 2,683 
			 (1 )Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 250 (Diabetes mellitus) for the years 1999-2000 and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes E10-E14 (Diabetes mellitus) for 2001 onwards . (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.  (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of deaths where the underlying cause was an eating disorder( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 1999-2008( 3,4) 
			  Deaths 
			  Sex/age group  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  Males   
			 Under 21 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21-30 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 
			 31-40 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 41-50 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			 51-60 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 61+ 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 
			
			  Females   
			 Under21 2 2 1 2 3 2 2 3 0 1 
			 21-30 3 1 1 4 3 3 2 0 3 5 
			 31-40 5 4 5 4 6 1 4 4 2 3 
			 41-50 4 6 2 2 2 3 2 6 5 7 
			 51-60 1 4 3 4 0 0 3 0 2 2 
			 61+ 4 6 5 8 3 3 3 6 5 5 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 307.1 (Anorexia nervosa), 307.S (Other and unspecified disorders of eating), 783.0 (Anorexia) and 783.6 (Polyphagia) for the years 1999-2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code P50 (Eating disorders) for 2001 onwards.  (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.  (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Number of deaths where the underlying cause was a sexually transmitted infection( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 1999-2008( 3,4) 
			  Deaths 
			  Sex/age group  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2006  2006  2007  2008 
			  Males   
			 Under 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21-30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 31-40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 41-50 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 51-60 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 61+ 3 1 2 2 2 3 3 0 0 1 
			
			  Females   
			 Under 21 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 21-30 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 31-40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 41-50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 51-60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 61+ 5 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 090-099 (Syphilis and other venereal diseases) for 1999-2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes A50-A64 (Infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission) for 2001 onwards.  (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.  (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5: Number of deaths where the underlying cause was drug poisoning( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 1998-2007( 3,4) 
			  Deaths 
			  Sex/age group  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Males   
			 Under 21 157 154 120 126 125 102 73 65 71 62 
			 21-30 680 670 611 650 598 473 455 447 425 467 
			 31-40 551 661 671 690 636 613 665 665 601 683 
			 41-50 342 333 371 352 302 309 313 360 381 393 
			 51-60 116 144 147 163 141 120 194 191 168 181 
			 61+ 139 174 138 162 139 124 156 159 136 128 
			
			  Females   
			 Under 21 75 74 59 58 55 49 53 56 35 21 
			 21-30 178 185 148 162 158 137 146 115 117 96 
			 31-40 228 191 190 205 172 192 184 198 161 165 
			 41-50 166 180 165 184 183 182 195 218 159 176 
			 51-60 117 125 116 118 115 127 122 127 132 113 
			 61+ 227 219 196 223 206 195 231 161 184 155 
			 (1 )Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for 1998-2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) from 2001 onwards. The codes for drug poisoning are shown in Box 1 below.  (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.  (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.  (4) Figures for deaths registered in 2008 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define drug-related poisoning deaths by underlying cause 
			  Description  ICD-9  ICD-10 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 292, 304, 305.2-305.9 F11-F16, F18-F19 
			 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances E850-E858 X40-X44 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances E950.0-E950.5 X60-X64 
			 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances E962.0 X85 
			 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent E980.0-E980.5 Y10-Y14

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) photocopiers,  (b) scanning devices and  (c) fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, there are in (i) her Department and (ii) the Prime Minister's Office; how many there were in each Office in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office, including the Prime Minister's Office, has used the following number of photocopiers and scanners in past three years:
	
		
			   Photocopiers  Scanners 
			 May 2009 19 16 
			 May 2008 19 19 
			 May 2007 19 21 
		
	
	Fax machines are procured by individual management units, and we do not keep records of their numbers centrally. There would be a disproportionate cost involved in collecting the data.
	Since 2003, my Department has had a policy of installing multi-user MFDs as the main devices for printing, scanning and photocopying. On 17 July 2008, the Cabinet Office launched the Greening Government ICT Strategy. Its aim is to reduce the environmental impact of the computer systems employed by all Government bodies. One important target is to reduce the overall number of printers, photocopiers and scanners used by an organisation and replace them with multi-function devices (MFDs) where security issues allow.

Departmental Manpower

Jo Swinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what percentage of employees in the Leader of the House's Office are  (a) women and  (b) men; and what the average hourly pay of (i) male employees and (ii) female employees in that Office was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The staff in the office of the Leader of the House of Commons are part of the Cabinet Office. Information on what percentage of employees in the Cabinet Office are  (a) women and  (b) men is published on the Office for National Statistics website and can be found here:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/CivilService_tables_2008.xls#Table35'!A1
	The Government's evidence to the senior salaries review body provides analysis of senior civil service pay levels by gender and can be found here:
	http://www.ome.uk.com/downloads/SSRB%2031st%20Report%202009.pdf
	For staff below the senior civil service there is no statistical difference in average salaries of male employees and female employees in the Cabinet Office in the same pay band.
	Information on Cabinet Office pay bands is published on the Cabinet Office website and can be found here:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about_the_cabinet_office/working_for/paybands.aspx.

Departmental Sick Leave

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many staff in the Cabinet Office were on sick leave for  (a) over 30 days,  (b) over 50 days and  (c) over 100 days in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many staff in the Cabinet Office were recorded as having been on sick leave for over 12 months on 31 December in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office continues to promote health and wellbeing as part of a civil service policy to reduce absence, increase employee engagement, productivity and so improve service delivery.
	The number of staff off on sick leave for  (a) over 30 days,  (b) over 50 days and  (c) over 100 days is set out in the following table based on working days:
	
		
			   30 to 49 Days  50 to 99 days  Over 100 days 
			 2004 26 26 12 
			 2005 30 23 17 
			 2006 17 16 7 
			 2007 29 19 9 
			 2008 19 16 8 
		
	
	There were fewer than five members of staff off for over 12 months in each of the last five years. The exact number of staff is not reported as to do so may identify individual members of staff.
	According to Cabinet Office records the absence rate is 5.1 days per staff year and is one of the lowest absence rates in the civil service.
	The Cabinet Office continue to promote health and wellbeing as part of a civil service policy to reduce absence, increase employee engagement, productivity and so improve service delivery.
	The number of staff with no sick absence during the 12 month period ending 30 September 2008 has increased by 1 per cent.

Departmental Standards

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps 10 Downing Street is taking in respect of Cabinet Office Departmental Strategic Objective 4 to achieve a 50 per cent. reduction in avoidable contact with members of the public by 31 March 2011.

Angela Smith: All Government Departments seek to ensure that their dealings with the public are as helpful and productive as possible. Any contact members of the public may wish to have with 10 Downing street is not affected in any way by the requirements of departmental strategic objective 4.

Departmental Standards

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1059W, on departmental standards, what method her Department uses to assess whether its targets in respect of avoidable contact have been met.

Angela Smith: All Government Departments seek to ensure that their dealings with the public are as helpful and productive as possible. Central Government Departments are required to declare the levels of avoidable telephone contact in their Departments as assessed at April 2008 and to halve these values by March 2011. The Cabinet Office has focussed its attentions on the Department for Transport (DFT), Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and NHS Direct. These Departments account for around 90 per cent. of telephone contact with central Government. Cabinet Office is working with the remaining Departments, who will provide their baseline levels of avoidable contact later in the year.
	Upon publication of their avoidable contact levels, all Departments will be required to provide quarterly updates outlining the progress they are making to achieving the March 2011 reduction target.

Departmental Standards

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1059W, on departmental standards, what performance measures in respect of avoidable contact apply to 10 Downing Street.

Angela Smith: The 2007 Service Transformation Agreement (STA) requires public-facing service delivery departments to report their levels of avoidable contact. As the Prime Minister's Office is not a service delivery department, it does not need to follow the STA requirement on reporting avoidable contact. However, all Government Departments, and of course the Prime Minister's Office, work to ensure that their dealings with the public are as helpful and productive as possible.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff based in 10 Downing Street who advise the Prime Minister on foreign policy are not members of staff of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 3 July 2009
	 The Prime Minister receives advice on foreign policy from the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and his Department. The Prime Minister also has two advisers on foreign and defence policy and Europe and global issues. They head two sections of the Cabinet Secretariat in the Cabinet Office which support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet by, where appropriate, providing co-ordinated advice on foreign policy issues.

Pay

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average rate of change of pay growth, including bonuses, in the  (a) private and  (b) public sector was in the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the average rate of change of pay growth, including bonuses, in the  (a) private and  (b) public sector in the last 12 months. (287348)
	This information is published each month in Table IS of the Labour Market Statistics Statistical Bulletin. The Table provides annual growth rates based on single months and rates based on three monthly averages. The ONS preferred measure is the three monthly rate as it is less erratic. The latest information, relating to May 2009, was published on 15 July-the three monthly rates for the private sector and public sector are reproduced at the Annex. The Table shows that private sector pay in the three months ending in May was 1.9 per cent. higher than the same three months a year ago. This compares to a growth of 3.5 per cent. in the public sector.
	
		
			  Average Earnings Index: Three monthly growth rates, (average of the latest three months compared to same three months a year earlier) 
			   Private  s ector  (%)  Public  s ector  (%) 
			 June 2008 3.2 3.3 
			 July 2008 3.5 3.4 
			 August 2008 3.4 3.5 
			 September 2008 3.1 3.9 
			 October 2008 3.2 3.8 
			 November 2008 2.9 4.0 
			 December 2008 2.8 4.0 
			 January 2009 1.2 4.0 
			 February 2009 -0.4 3.8 
			 March 2009 -1.1 3.6 
			 April 2009 0.4 3.5 
			 May 2009 1.9 3.5 
			 N otes: 1. Based on seasonally adjusted data. 2 Excluding arrears of pay.

Public Bodies

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 93-99W, on public bodies, for what reason  (a) the Met Office,  (b) Ordnance Survey,  (c) Royal Mint and  (d) the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre were reclassified as public corporations.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for what reason (a) the Meteorological Office, (b) Ordnance Survey, (c) Royal Mint and (d) the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre were reclassified as public corporations. (287278)
	For national accounts purposes public sector entities are classified in line with international guidance. The guidance is set out in the United Nations' 1993 System of National Accounts (SNA93), and for the European Union in the 1995 European System of Accounts (ESA95).
	In line with ESA 95 public sector market entities are classified as public corporations, either within the financial corporations sector or the non-financial corporations sector, and public sector non-market entities are classified in the general government sector. The borderline between market and non-market classification is dependent on whether more than fifty per cent of production costs are covered by sales.
	(a) The Meteorological Office was classified as a public corporation from 1996. Prior to this it was classified as central government within the general government sector.
	(b) Ordnance Survey was classified as a public corporation from 1999. Prior to this it was classified as central government within the general government sector.
	(c) Royal Mint has been classified as a public corporation from 1975.
	(d) Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre was classified as a public corporation from 1997. Prior to this it was classified to central government within the general government sector.
	In May 2009 you asked a question (271969) which related to the definition of the Civil Service. Pursuant to this question, employees of the Meteorological Office, Ordnance Survey, Royal Mint and Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre are all included in the ONS' estimates for the Civil Service.

Skin Cancer

Norman Lamb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases of basal cell carcinoma were diagnosed in patients aged  (a) under 30,  (b) 31 to 60 and  (c) over 60 years of age in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many cases of basal cell carcinoma were diagnosed in patients aged (a) under 30, (b) 30 to 59 and (c) over 60 years of age in each of the last 10 years
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2006. Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of non-melanoma skin cancer which had a cell type (morphology) identified as basal cell carcinoma, in patients aged (a) under 30, (b) 30 to 59 and (c) over 60 years from 1997 to 2006, are given in Table 1.
	ONS has been advised by expert epidemiologists and members of the former Steering Committee on Cancer Registration that non-melanoma skin cancer is greatly under-registered. Consequently, the figures given are likely to be under-estimates.
	
		
			  Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of non-melanoma skin cancer identified as basal cell carcinoma( 1)  by age group: England, 1997 to 2006 
			  Registrations 
			  Age group  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 30 183 185 205 187 209 213 234 209 221 210 
			 30-59 7,236 8,265 8,282 8,674 9,445 9,537 10,052 10,396 10,575 10,747 
			 60+ 23,255 26,725 26,914 28,311 30,009 30,425 31,765 34,185 35,680 36,440 
			 Total 30,674 35,175 35,401 37,172 39,663 40,175 42,051 44,790 46,476 47,397 
			 (1)( )Cases were identified as new registrations coded to C44 (non-melanoma skin cancer) in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) accompanied by a morphology code of M8090/3 - M8093/3 (basal cell carcinoma) in the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Second Revision (ICD-02).

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have received Building Schools for the Future funding for ICT projects in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: ICT is an integral component of Building Schools for the Future and accounts for approximately 10 per cent. of capital funding provided through that programme. Funding is paid to local authorities rather than to individual schools. To date, 37 local authority projects (and 10 early win schemes) have signed contracts covering more than 200 schools. The table shows the break down of BSF contracts which include funding for ICT services.
	
		
			   Number of schools 
			 2005 10 
			 2006 41 
			 2007 51 
			 2008 46 
			 2009 (to July) 53 
			 Total 201 
		
	
	86 of these projects have already been completed, providing 21st century ICT facilities for over 80,000 young people.

Children: Disabled

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will undertake a public information campaign on the rights of children with disabilities.

Diana Johnson: The Government are committed to children's rights, including disabled children's rights, and to making a reality of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the UK. The Government have funded a number of initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the UNCRC such as the development of a curriculum resource for teachers on the UNCRC to be used with key stage 3 pupils. We provide funding to UNICEF for their Rights Respecting Schools initiative. Training related to human rights and the UNCRC is available for a wide range of professionals working with children.
	We have also been working closely with the national strategies to develop new and innovative ways of raising awareness of schools' responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. Work so far has included: workshops at conferences that have had a specific focus on schools' duties and we have also hosted an online discussion on the  Guardian education website. Ministers have also highlighted the importance of schools' compliance with the disability discrimination legislation in speeches. We are currently discussing with the national strategies what else can be done to further raise awareness of schools' duties.

Children's Workforce Development Council

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what responsibilities the Children's Workforce Development Council has for  (a) childcare training and  (b) accreditation of childcare training schemes.

Dawn Primarolo: The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is a key organisation in delivery of the 2020 Children and Young People's Workforce Strategy and this includes responsibility for developing the Early Years workforce.
	The CWDC's work includes developing the Early Years Professionals Status and ensuring that training and assessment is high quality, that enough candidates are recruited to meet the Government's aims for Early Years Professionals(1) and that the rest of the workforce are qualified to at least level 3. The CWDC has also developed a new process for the sector endorsement of Early Years Foundation Degrees which is a bridge for practitioners from Level 3 to Early Years Professional Status.
	CWDC is not responsible for the accreditation of training but has a role in the approval of qualifications.
	The accreditation of qualifications for those in the early years workforce is the responsibility of the relevant awarding organisations offering these qualifications.
	However, in order for qualifications to sit on the regulated framework they must receive approval from the relevant Sector Skills Council. CWDC is part of the Sector Skills Council, Skills for Care and Development and responds to qualification approval requests on behalf on the early years workforce in England. The CWDC reviews qualifications to ensure they reflect current policy and the available National Occupational Standards (NOS).
	(1) The Government aim to have an EYP in every children's centre by 2010 and in every full daycare setting by 2015.

Children's Workforce Development Council

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what functions have been transferred from his Department to the Children's Workforce Development Council.

Dawn Primarolo: Since its establishment in 2005, a small number of functions have been transferred to the Children's Workforce Development Council from the Department for Children, Schools and Families. These include:
	the maintenance of the Early Years and Playwork qualifications database, and providing a helpline for employers and individuals with queries about it;
	the endorsement of Foundation Degrees in early years, and in Working with Young People;
	ownership of National Occupational Standards in Learning, Development and Support Services;
	maintaining and updating managers' and practitioners' guidance and training materials on the Common Assessment Framework, Lead Professional, and updating the Common Assessment Form itself.

Educational Visits: National Curriculum Tests

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received in respect of the cancellation of school excursions arising from the proposed scheduling of Key Stage 2 standard assessment tests in June.

Vernon Coaker: Key Stage 2 tests in 2010 will be administered between 10 and 14 May as planned; schools will not need to cancel school excursions in 2010 as a result of the scheduling of Key Stage 2 tests.
	The Government have accepted the Expert Group on Assessment's recommendation that National Curriculum Key Stage 2 tests should be administered in the middle of June, rather than in May. Having taken account of QCA and Ofqual's advice, we will seek to implement the Expert Group's recommendation on moving the test to mid June in 2011.

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools in which  (a) five,  (b) 10,  (c) 15 and  (d) 20 per cent. of pupils received three or more fixed term exclusions had less than 30 per cent. of pupils gain five GCSEs, including English and mathematics at grades A* to C in each year since 2005.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Implementation Review Unit

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to paragraph 5.13, page 74, of his Department's publication, Your child, your schools, our future, what funding his Department has allocated to the Implementation Review Unit in 2009-10.

Vernon Coaker: The Implementation Review Unit (IRU) was established in 2003 with a specific remit to advise the Department on reducing bureaucracy in schools. The Department has allocated £250,000 to the IRU for 2009-10. This will cover the costs of the review of barriers to delivery in schools as outlined in Your child, your schools, our future: building the 21(st) century schools system as well as all expenditure related to IRU meetings and other research relating to burdens and bureaucracy in schools.

Mathematics: Primary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on the National Strategies advertisements, Ensuring progression in primary mathematics, in June and July 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The cost was £3,358. The guidance identified in the advert is designed to help teachers understand key learning that children need to secure to attain level 4 in mathematics. Alerting teachers to valuable free resources in this manner has generated strong demand at relatively little cost and represents value for money.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent on average per child on  (a) (i) pre-school, (ii) primary school and (iii) 11 to 16 year-old secondary school pupils in schools in York and  (b) sixth form students in (A) schools in York and (B) York College in (1) cash and (2) real terms in each year since 1996-97.

Vernon Coaker: The information on school based expenditure per pupil and combined local authority and school based expenditure per pupil from 1996-97 to 2007-08 is contained within the following tables.
	The Learning and Skills Council is responsible for funding schools sixth forms and FE and sixth form colleges. I will ask the LSC's chief executive, Geoff Russell, to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested for sixth form students in schools in York and York College.
	
		
			  £ cash terms 
			   Primary school based expenditure per pupil  Pre-primary and primary school based expenditure per pupil  Secondary school based expenditure per pupil  Combined LA and school based expenditure per pupil 
			 1996-97 (4)- 1,540 2,210 2,500 
			 1997-98(1) (4)- 1,600 2,350 2,590 
			 1998-99(1) (4)- 1,730 2,460 2,690 
			 1999-2000(2,3) 1,760 1,800 2,430 2,710 
			 2000-01 1,860 1,870 2,640 2,850 
			 2001-02 2,180 2,260 2,830 3,130 
			  
			 2002-03 2,390 (4)- 3,080 3,270 
			 2003-04 2,560 (4)- 3,330 3,740 
			 2004-05 2,680 (4)- 3,660 3,900 
			 2005-06 2,930 (4)- 3,860 4,180 
			 2006-07 3,140 (4)- 3,970 4,400 
			 2007-08 3,290 (4)- 4,190 4,810 
		
	
	
		
			  £ real terms (2008-09 prices) 
			   Primary school based expenditure per pupil  Pre-primary and primary school based expenditure per pupil  Secondary school based expenditure per pupil  Combined LA and school based expenditure per pupil 
			 1996-97 (4)- 2,050 2,940 3,320 
			 1997-98(1) (4)- 2,070 3,050 3,350 
			 1998-99(1) (4)- 2,190 3,130 3,420 
			 1999-2000(2,3) 2,190 2,240 3,030 3,370 
			 2000-01 2,280 2,300 3,250 3,500 
			 2001-02 2,620 2,710 3,400 3,760 
			  
			 2002-03 2,780 (4)- 3,590 3,810 
			 2003-04 2,890 (4)- 3,770 4,230 
			 2004-05 2,960 (4)- 4,030 4,300 
			 2005-06 3,170 (4)- 4,170 4,520 
			 2006-07 3,290 (4)- 4,170 4,620 
			 2007-08 3,360 (4)- 4,280 4,910 
			 (1) Combined local authority and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in local authority maintained establishments and pupils educated by the authority other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under 5s funded by the authority and being educated in private settings (only available from 1999-2000), pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and any other local authority maintained pupils. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis. (2) Spending in 1997-98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998-99. (3) Figures prior to 1999-00 exclude any expenditure on service, strategy and regulation. (4) Denotes figures are not available or have not been scored on a consistent basis.  Notes: 1. The expenditure data to 1998-99 are drawn from the annual 'R01' spending returns which local authorities submitted to the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) (now CLG). Figures for 1999-2000 to 2001-02 are drawn from Section 52 (Table 3) Outturn statements which local authorities submitted to the then DFES (now DCSF). Figures for 2002-03 onwards are taken from Section 52 (Table A) Outturn statements. The change in sources is marked by an empty row. 2. School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. The pupil data are drawn from the DCSF Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. 3. From 2002-03 onwards the school based expenditure calculation is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001-02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses, while from 2002-03 only the schools element of these categories is included. In 2001-02 this accounted for approximately £70 per pupil of the England total, while the schools element of these categories accounted for approximately £50 per pupil of the England total in 2002-03. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03 and would therefore be excluded from the school based expenditure calculation, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources. 4. Expenditure was distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sector until the inception of Section 52 for the 1999-00 financial year. Consequently we have provided a combined figure for pre-primary and primary schools for 1996-97 to 2001-02 financial years. 5. 1999-2000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the R01 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 52 form from the DCSF. 2002-03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) to schools and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. 6. Secondary school based expenditure includes all expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained secondary schools. It is not possible from existing sources to distinguish this expenditure between expenditure on 11 to 16-year-olds and expenditure on 6th form pupils attending maintained secondary schools. 7. The expenditure data for 1999-2000 onwards reflect the return of grant maintained schools to local authority maintenance. 8. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. As reported by York local authority as at 10 July 2009. 9. Cash figures are converted to 2008-09 prices using the 30 June 2009 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflators.

Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to paragraph 2.25, page 32 of his Department's publication, Your child, your schools, our future, what is the research evidence referred to.

Vernon Coaker: The following is a summary of the research evidence referred to in the first sentence of paragraph 2.25 of Your child, your schools, our future, building a 21(st) century schools system:
	 Summary of research evidence on the importance of high quality teaching and teachers:
	1. Having high quality teachers and teaching is essential to the achievement of whole-school success. Improvements in teaching have been facilitated by organisational factors, for example, careful recruitment, quality assurance schemes, support for teachers to focus on teaching and sharing of good practice (Rudd et al., 2002).
	2. Barber and Mourshed (2007) at McKinsey and Company, argued that the biggest driver of variation in pupil learning is teacher effectiveness and present a strong argument for focusing on recruiting high quality teachers in order to raise attainment of pupils. In particular, they refer to a US study by Sanders and Rivers (1996) that showed that two average eight-year-old pupils placed with different teachers diverged in their performance by more than 50 percentile points within three years. However, this study needs to be treated with caution as the research was conducted in a small number of schools.
	3. Slater et al. (2009) estimated the effect of individual teachers on pupil outcomes, and the variability of teacher quality, which they refer to as teacher's impact on test scores. They used a unique primary dataset linking over 7,000 pupils, their exam results and prior attainment to the individual teachers who taught them. They found that a high quality teacher (75(th) percentile) compared to a low quality teacher (25(th) percentile) can add 0.425 of a GCSE point per subject to a given pupil, or 25 per cent. of the standard deviation of GCSE points. This further demonstrates the importance of having effective teachers.
	 Summary of research evidence suggesting that pupils from deprived backgrounds are less likely to experience good quality teaching:
	1. There is evidence to suggest that pupils from deprived backgrounds may be less likely to experience good quality teaching. Sammons et al. (2006), in an analysis of teaching practice in 125 year 5 classes, found that the quality of teaching tended to be poorer in schools with higher levels of pupils eligible for free school meals. Differences were apparent in areas such as basic skills development, depth of subject knowledge, social support for learning, pupil engagement and classroom routines. Cabinet Office (2008a) cited evidence that teachers in schools with more than 20 per cent. FSM eligibility were more likely to be rated worse in their teaching, and less likely to have come from an outstanding teacher training institution. Furthermore, Thrupp and Lupton (2006) reported that unchallenging work was evident among schools with deprived intakes.
	2. Also, secondary schools with higher proportions of pupils eligible for FSM have, on average, teachers with lower levels of qualifications than other schools. Charles et al. (2007) found that schools in the higher FSM quintiles had fewer teachers with degrees in the subject they taught, compared with schools in the lower FSM quintiles. This was true for most subjects analysed, with the exception of ICT and design and technology, in which teacher qualifications were higher in schools with higher proportions of FSM.
	 References:
	Barber, M. and Mourshed, M. (2007). How the worlds best performing school systems come out on top. McKinsey and Company.
	Cabinet Office (2008a). Getting on, getting ahead. A discussion paper: analysing the trends and drivers of social mobility.
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/66447/gettingon.pdf
	Charles, M., Marsh, A., Milne, A., Morris, C., Scott, E. and Shamsan, Y. (2007). Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey 2007. DCSF RR026.
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR026.pdf
	Rudd, P., Aiston, S., Davies, D., Rickinson, M. and Dartnall, L. (2002). Performance gains in Specialist Schools: What makes the difference? NFER.
	Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Barreau, S. and Manni, L. (2006). EPPE: Summary report: variations in Teacher and Pupil Behaviours in Year 5 Classes. DfES RR817.
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR817.pdf
	Slater, H., Davies, N. and Burgess, S. (2009). Do teachers matter? Measuring teacher effectiveness in England. Centre for Market and Public Organisations (CMPO), Working Paper 09/212.
	Thrupp, M. and Lupton, R. (2006). Taking school contexts more seriously: the social justice challenge. British Journal of Educational Studies, 54(3), 308-328.

Schools: Sandwell

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much capital spending there was on  (a) schools and  (b) children's centres in Sandwell in each of the last 20 years.

Vernon Coaker: The information is as follows.
	 (a) Support for capital investment in schools in Sandwell is shown in the table. Information prior to 1996-97 is not held centrally.
	
		
			   Schools (£ million) 
			 1996-97 3.4 
			 1997-98 5 
			 1998-99 3.4 
			 1999-2000 4.6 
			 2000-01 (1)27.3 
			 2001-02 10.2 
			 2002-03 20.4 
			 2003-04 20.2 
			 2004-05 20 
			 2005-06 17.6 
			 2006-07 16.7 
			 2007-08 15 
			 2008-09 14.1 
			 (1) Includes a PFI project of £17 million 
		
	
	In addition, Sandwell has a Building Schools for the Future (BSF) wave 3 project with an indicative allocation of £137.2 million of conventional funding and £62.9 million of PFI credits.
	Sandwell has a further BSF wave 5 project at planning stage. Allocations have also been made for traditionally procured academies of £24.4 million in 2002-03 and £57 million in 2006-07.
	 (b) Support for capital investment on Children's Centres in Sandwell is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Ch ildren 's Centres (£ million) 
			 1999-2005 4.8 
			 2005-06 3.2 
			 2006-07 5.0 
			 2007-08 2.1 
			 2008-11 1.3 
		
	
	A breakdown for the years 1999 to 2005 is not available as the funding was provided as a single capital allocation through the Sure Start Local Programme. Please note the total allocation for the current spending period (2008-11) has been provided as the 2008-09 audited spend data are not yet available.

Schools: Standards

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to paragraph 3.3, page 44 of his Department's publication, Your child, your schools, our future, if he will publish the data supporting his statement that children educated at schools which operate in a form of partnership achieve better results.

Vernon Coaker: The statement in paragraph 3.3 of Your child, your schools, our future, building a 21(st) century schools system that children educated at schools which operate in a form of partnership offer enhanced opportunities to children and achieve better results is based on published evidence.
	Atkinson et al. (2007) conducted a literature review of inter-school collaboration(1), which synthesises and extracts common characteristics of how partnerships can be effective, and gives an overview of the ways partnerships can work. They listed 17 recent initiatives that involve collaborations (for example Diversity Pathfinder Initiative; Beacon Schools scheme; and extended services schools).
	(1) The review focused on 39 studies from 1997 onwards.
	 Atkinson et al. (2007) report gains for school, school staff and pupils taking par t in inter-school collaboration
	 Gains for the school:
	economic advantages (for example sharing of resources, accessing new funding streams and economies of scale);
	school improvement and raised standards, including improvements in pupil attainment (for example from an enhanced curriculum and development of teacher expertise);
	the forging of closer relationships between participating schools and from this outcome, a greater awareness and understanding of other schools; and
	it was said that bringing schools together can break down barriers so that they can work together in a mutually beneficial way.
	 Gains for school staff:
	opportunities to exchange ideas and good practice;
	new opportunities for training and professional development; and
	an enriched support network (a larger number of colleagues available to discuss concerns and issues) which reduced a sense of professional isolation, which could lead to an increase in staff confidence, motivation and morale.
	 Gains for pupils:
	enjoyed an enhanced educational experience (for example better choice of subjects, access to specialist teaching i.e. more personalised learning, and opportunities for out-of-school excursions);
	improved attainment was also reported;
	increased social opportunities from interacting with pupils from other schools;
	where these pupils came from different backgrounds (for example faiths and cultures) there was also the possibility of increasing awareness and understanding of different lifestyles; and
	where partnerships existed between primary and secondary schools, increased contact was said to make the transition much easier for pupils moving on to secondary school.
	A report published by the National College of School Leadership (2008) entitled Schools leading schools: the power and potential of National Leaders of Education highlights the following successes in relation to the National Leaders of Education (NLE) programme:
	By July 2008, NLEs had supported 19 schools to be removed from special measures or have NTI withdrawn.
	GCSE results in 2008 show marked improvement in schools in which NLEs have worked for one year or more.
	Independent evaluation reports commissioned by NCSL over the two years the NLE programme has developed have found the NLE programme to be effective in selecting, appointing and deploying NLEs, in delivering improvements and in removing schools from Ofsted categories.
	NCSL Schools Leading Schools report states that there is a clear association between NLE intervention and improved results.
	 References:
	Atkinson, M., Springate, I., Johnson, F. and Halsey, K. (2007). Inter-school collaboration: A literature review. NFER.
	National College of School Leadership (2008) Schools leading schools: the power and potential of National Leaders of Education.

Social Workers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many full-time children's social workers there are in  (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency,  (b) Teesside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England.

Dawn Primarolo: Detailed information on all staff, including children's social workers, directly employed by social services departments is collected by the Department of Health (DH) through the Personal Social Services staff of Social Services Departments return (SSDS001). Since 2004-05 the return has been the responsibility of the NHS Information Centre for health and social care. These data have been published on an annual basis with breakdown by local authority available in the supporting annexes published alongside each report.
	Reports published from 2006 onwards are available on the NHS Information Centre website here:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/social-care/childrens-social-care

Special Educational Needs: Pupil Exclusions

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to publish the findings of his research into local authority practice on exclusions for children with special educational needs.

Vernon Coaker: The Department is working with the National Strategies and local authorities to identify good practice among authorities with low rates of exclusion of children with SEN.
	With National Strategies, the Department has conducted a series of visits to local authorities designed to identify the factors behind why some authorities are able to maintain low rates of SEN exclusions, while others have higher rates.
	National Strategies will publish the outcomes of these visits in autumn 2009.
	The Department has asked the National Strategies to support and challenge the highest excluding authorities (including authorities where SEN exclusions are disproportionately high) to reduce the need for exclusion, and to spread good practice from the lower excluding authorities from summer term 2009. The findings from the visits will inform this work.
	Findings from the visits will also feedback in Ofsted SEN survey 2009-10 that will focus on the Every Child Matters outcomes achieved by children with special educational needs and disabled children.

Special Educational Needs: Pupil Exclusions

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he next expects to revise his Department's guidance to schools on pupil exclusions; and what his policy is on holding a case review before children with a special educational need or disability is excluded.

Vernon Coaker: Existing exclusions guidance already contains strong messages on special educational needs (SEN) exclusion issues. The existing version of this guidance, last revised in September 2008, states that schools should try every practicable means to maintain a pupil with SEN in school, seeking local authority and other professional advice as appropriate. It goes on to state that this might include seeking local authority and other professional advice at School Action Plus, or where appropriate, asking a local authority to consider carrying out a statutory assessment.
	In addition, the guidance sets an expectation that, following a permanent exclusion, the head teacher should use the period between his or her initial decision and the meeting of the governing body to review the exclusion and to work with the local authority to see whether more support can be made available or whether the statement can be changed to name a new school. If either of these options is possible, the head teacher should normally withdraw the exclusion.
	We will also be reinforcing the focus of behaviour and attendance partnerships on a range of outcomes, including the need to reduce disproportionately high exclusions of pupils with SEN in a new guidance due to be published later this year.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils he expects to enrol on a diploma course in each subject in September 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Iain Wright: It is too soon to say how many pupils will be enrolled on a diploma course from this September. Young people are still making choices about which course to study and will do so in part based upon examination results to be published in August.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Housing: Standards

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of the housing stock in each local authority did not meet the Decent Homes Standard on the latest date for which figures are available;
	(2)  what percentage of housing stock in each local authority did not meet the Decent Homes Standard in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: A set of tables containing the information requested has been placed in the Library.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many breaches of information security there have been at  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in the last five years.

Shahid Malik: In the five years to 31 March 2009, there have been four breaches of information security at Communities and Local Government.
	The Department and its agencies report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioner's Office. Information on personal data security breaches are published on annual basis in the Department's annual resource accounts as was announced in the data handling review published on 25 June 2008.
	Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the statement of internal control that is published within the annual resource accounts.
	This answer does not include the Government Office for the English Regions, which carries out work for 10 Government Departments.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what categories of personal information on members of the public are contained on each database that contains such data managed by his Department and its agencies; when each category of information was first collected; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on members of the public; on what date each such database became operational; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  which of the planned databases that will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies and which will hold personal information on members of the public are expected to become operational in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: Detailed information pertaining to all databases holding personal information in both CLG and its Government Office network is not held centrally. Communities and Local Government holds a variety of databases, including some containing personal data of members of the public and other stakeholders: details of some of these can be accessed via the Department's information asset register at:
	http://www.communties.gov.uk/corporate/foi/cornmunities-lgps/asset-register/
	These are required for the purposes of conducting its business and implementing its policy agenda. The personal data involved are mainly contact details for stakeholders who have been consulted on issues relating to departmental business and expressed a wish to be kept informed on policy developments, although some databases are more specialised. In the case of the majority of the databases the data collection is recent, and whenever new databases are set up steps are taken to ensure that they are compliant with the Data Protection Act.
	New databases containing personal data are set up as and when policy development and implementation of policy dictate the operational need for them. It is not possible to plan or predict which areas of business or policy will require the setting up of a database up to five years ahead.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many policy advisers work for the Minister for Housing and Planning;
	(2)  what the job  (a) title and  (b) description is of each policy adviser, other than special advisers, who has been recruited by his Department in the last six months.

Shahid Malik: All civil servants in the Department provide policy advice to Ministers as necessary. Specialist staff are from time to time recruited on a time-limited basis to provide additional expertise and capacity as required.

Electromagnetic Fields: Health Hazards

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department  (a) has issued and  (b) plans to issue to local planning authorities on planning applications for housing and schools located close to high voltage overhead power lines.

Ian Austin: The stakeholder advisory group on extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (SAGE) published a report in April 2007 which made a number of recommendations to Government on ways to reduce people's exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF). The Government are currently finalising their response to the SAGE report.

Housing Revenue Accounts

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the level of housing revenue account subsidy was for each local authority in 2009-10.

Ian Austin: It is too early as yet to say what the individual subsidy position for each authority will be in 2009-10 as their first subsidy claims for that year do not reflect factors that impact on subsidy entitlement, such as major repairs allowances brought forward from 2010-11 to 2009-10.

Housing: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) homeless,  (b) statutorily overcrowded,  (c) medical priority and  (d) family quota households are on each London local authority housing waiting list.

Ian Austin: This information is not held centrally.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average market value was of a property designated as being available under the  (a) HomeBuy Direct,  (b) New Build HomeBuy,  (c) Rent to HomeBuy and  (d) First- time Buyers Initiative in each of the last three years.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the right hon. Member for Derby South (Margaret Beckett) on 19 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1352W and the answer he was given by the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Wright) on 5 May 2009,  Official Report, column 137W.
	In 2006-07 the average price of property designated as available under the NewBuild HomeBuy scheme was £163,460. Data for 2008-09 is not yet available from the Continuous Recording (CORE) returns to the Tenant Services Authority from registered social landlords.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what budget his Department initially set for 2009-10 for  (a) HomeBuy Direct,  (b) OwnHome,  (c) OpenMarket HomeBuy,  (d) the First Time Buyers Initiative,  (e) MyChoice HomeBuy,  (f) New Build HomeBuy,  (g) Social HomeBuy and  (h) Rent to HomeBuy.

John Healey: We have not set individual budgets for each HomeBuy scheme to ensure flexibility within the Homes and Communities Agency's programme.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what target has been set for the number of new affordable homes to be built in each region in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11; how many he expects to be built in each region in each of those years; and how many he expects to be available for social rent in each case.

Ian Austin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 July 2009,  Official Report, column 905W.

Housing: Overcrowding

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the performance of each local authority against the statutory overcrowding standard for housing was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: This information is not collected by Communities and Local Government.

Islam

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what support his Department is giving to the independent Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board to raise standards in mosques; what objectives have been set for such standards; and how much his Department has budgeted for such support activities.

Shahid Malik: The Department for Communities and Local Government provided support to the independent Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB). MINAB is a community-led organisation and we supported it to develop standards for mosques, which were widely consulted on and piloted. In addition, we supported the development of its operational plan and its first Annual General Meeting.
	We allocated the following sums to MINAB: £75,600 in 2007-08; £116,000 in 2008-09; and £58,000 between April and June 2009.
	Further information about MINAB, including its five standards, can be found on their website:
	www.minab.org.uk

Islam

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many Radical Middle Way  (a) roadshows and  (b) other events have taken place in the UK and overseas since 2007; where they have taken place; what the cost of each has been; what assessment has been made of the outcome of each event; and for what dates future such shows have been scheduled.

Shahid Malik: From October 2007 to June 2008 the RMW held a total of 34 road show events and a number of other formal and informal meetings with domestic and international scholars and speakers in the following locations:
	London; Luton; Leicester; Birmingham; Liverpool; Bradford; Peterborough; Milton Keynes; Woking; and Manchester.
	CLG and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided funding of £250,000 to the project in 2007-08 to support the programme of events including support for the RMW website (£12,000) and external evaluation.
	From June 2008 to May 2009 the RMW held a total of 48 road show events and a number of formal and informal meetings with domestic and international scholars and speakers in the following locations:
	Blackburn; Bradford; Cambridge; London; Birmingham; Peterborough; Hounslow; High Wycombe; Leicester; Manchester; Milton Keynes; Slough; Derby; Bristol; Rochdale.
	CLG has provided funding of £350,000 to the project to support the programme of events. This also included support for the RMW website and an external evaluation.
	RMW held its first international road show to Sudan in April 2009, reaching an estimated 25,000 people through six large public events. The FCO provided £70,000 to support this road show and the RMW is planning further pilot road shows in Sudan, Indonesia and Pakistan by end October. The pilot phase of the international project will be evaluated by an independent company.
	The RMW project is subject to an independent external evaluation following each phase. Communities and Local Government is currently in the process of determining the future direction of this particular work stream in its domestic context.

Islam: Faith Schools

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which community- based organisations are involved in the development of citizenship education in mosque schools; and where each such organisation is based.

Shahid Malik: The organisation that is leading this project is the School Development Support Agency based in Leicester.
	The SDSA instituted an advisory group with representation from various community based organisations. They include the following:
	Ahul Bayt Foundation (London)
	Al-Khoei Foundation (London)
	Al Mahdi Institute (Birmingham)
	British Muslim Forum (National)
	Building Bridges (Pendle)
	Citizenship Foundation (London)
	ContinYou (Coventry)
	Islamic Foundation (Markfield, Leicestershire)
	Karimia Institute (Nottingham)
	Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (National)
	Muslim College (London)
	Muslim Council of Britain (National)
	National Muslim Women Advisory Group (National)
	NIDA Education Trust (London)
	Sufi Muslim Council (Rochdale)

Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Scheme

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding was allocated under the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Scheme to local authorities in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11; and how much such funding has been (i) distributed to and (ii) spent by each local authority in each such year.

Rosie Winterton: In 2008-09, £396 million in LABGI grants was allocated and distributed to local authorities, in respect of business growth in 2007-08. Details of how this funding was distributed are set out in the relevant Grant Determinations, which can be viewed on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	Grant Determination No 2 (2008) [No 31/1238]
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/labgi/seconddtmn0708.pdf
	Grant Determination No2 (2009) [No 31/1287]
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/labgi/contingency/dtmn.pdf
	Paper copies of the above have been sent to the hon. Lady and copies have been deposited in the Commons Library.
	I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen) on 7 July,  Official Report, column 835. The final details about the allocation and distribution of LABGI funds in 2009-10 and 2010-11 are currently being discussed with Treasury Ministers and an announcement will be made in the next few weeks.
	Records are not kept centrally of how local authorities spend LABGI funding. The grants are not ring-fenced and it is for local authorities to decide how the money is best spent.

Local Government Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to allow councils to keep  (a) receipts from Right to Buy sales and  (b) income from rents from council housing.

Ian Austin: We announced in June that councils can keep capital receipts and rent income from any newly built council homes supported by Social housing grant or funded with the authorities' own resources. In addition we are currently considering whether there are other types of council housing on which capital receipts and rents should be retained.
	My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing's statement on 30 June 2009 also announced our intention to reform the council housing finance subsidy system and that we will be consulting on our proposals before the summer recess. This consultation will include a proposal to allow councils to keep all the capital receipts from right to buy, and income from rents.

Local Government Finance: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much general revenue funding has been allocated to City of York unitary authority in each year since 1996-97.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows the increases for the City of York in formula grant for each year from 1998-99 onwards on a like-for-like basis, i.e. after adjusting for changes in function and funding.
	
		
			   Prior years adjusted Formula Grant2  (£ million)  Current year's  Formula Grant  (£ million)  Change  (£ million)  Change  (percentage) 
			 1998-99: 80.691 80.541 -0.150 -0.2 
			 1999-2000: 80.541 84.473 3.932 4.9 
			 2000-01: 84.473 87.978 3.505 4.1 
			 2001-02: 87.529 90.330 2.801 3.2 
			 2002-03: 86.030 91.050 5.019 5.8 
			 Amended 2003-04: 95.109 99.890 4.781 5.0 
			 Amended 2004-05: 96.364 102.518 6.154 6.4 
			 Amended 2005-06: 103.678 108.820 5.142 5.0 
			 2006-0f: 35.965 37.151 1.187 3.3 
			 2007-08: 36.950 38.343 1.392 3.8 
			 2008-09: 41.041 42.366 1.325 3.2 
			 2009-10: 42.321 43.480 1.160 2.7 
			 2010-11 provisional: 43.463 44.571 1.108 2.5 
			 (1 )The prior year's formula grant is adjusted for changes in function and funding to enable a like-for-like comparison. (2) Formula Grant comprises Revenue Support Grant, redistributed business rates, principal formula Police Grant, SSA Reduction Grant (SSA Review), SSA Reduction Grant (Police Funding Review) and Central Support Protection Grant where appropriate. (3) Prior to 2006-07 support for schools was paid through formula grant. In 2006-07 funding for schools transferred to the Dedicated Schools Grant. 
		
	
	The amount of formula grant an authority receives each year is not directly comparable due to changes in funding and functions. For example, prior to 2006-07 funding for schools was included within formula grant; from 2006-07 onwards funding for schools was provided by the Dedicated Schools Grant. For this reason, we therefore adjust the prior year's formula grant, for comparison purposes only, so that it reflects the notional amount of formula grant an authority would have received in that year had we been financing the same services as in the current year.
	The Department only holds data on year-on-year changes in formula grant on a like-for-like basis from 1997-98. This is because it only became necessary to make these calculations when guarantees were introduced that formula grant would not go down from one year to the next.

Planning Permission

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to grant planning powers to  (a) regional development agencies,  (b) local authority leaders' boards and  (c) economic prosperity boards.

Ian Austin: Under the terms of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, Government are to give joint responsibility for a regional strategy to  (a) the regional development agencies and  (b) local authorities' leaders' boards in each English region outside of London. These bodies will therefore have joint responsibility for plan-making at regional level.
	It is up to local authorities to set out the functions that they wish to pass to an EPB across their area. They may decide that their EPB should play a part in spatial planning-most likely through co-operation in the production of local development frameworks. It is very unlikely that local authorities would propose ceding the power to make particular planning decisions to an EPB and also unlikely that the Secretary of State would agree to such an arrangement, as the Government wish the link between planning decisions and direct local democratic accountability to be maintained.

Regional Planning and Development

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department has allocated to regional empowerment partnerships in the last three years.

Shahid Malik: The Community Development Foundation received £1,736,990 in 2007-08 and £1,645,000 in 2008-09 from the Department for Communities and Local Government to fund the activities of nine independent regional empowerment partnerships. For the current year 2009-10, the Community Development Foundation has been allocated £1,715,000 to continue this support.

Registered Social Landlords

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many injunctions have been  (a) sought and  (b) obtained under section 13 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 in each local authority area in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many injunctions have been  (a) sought and  (b) obtained under section 153A of the Housing Act 1996 by landlords in each local authority area in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how many injunctions have been  (a) sought and  (b) obtained under section 222 of the Local Government Act 1972 by each local authority in each of the last three years.

Ian Austin: Registered social landlords owning and/or managing 1,000 or more units/bed spaces obtained the following number of injunctions under Section 153 A of the Housing Act 1996, inserted by section 13 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, between April 2005 and March 2008:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005-06 744 
			 2006-07 1,045 
			 2007-08 1,319 
		
	
	Data are not yet available for 2008-09 and the data collected cannot be broken down by local authority area. Data are not available for smaller registered social landlords. Data are not yet available on injunctions obtained by local authority landlords under section 153 A of the Housing Act 1996 nor by local authorities under section 222 of the Local Government Act 1972.
	No data are available on injunctions sought but not obtained.

Rents: Private Sector

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average private sector rent was in each region of England in  (a) 2001-02,  (b) 2002-03,  (c) 2003-04,  (d) 2004-05,  (e) 2005-06,  (f) 2006-07,  (g) 2007-08 and  (h) 2008-09.

Ian Austin: Estimates of the mean rent for private tenancies by region for the period 1995-96 and 1996-97 to 2006-07 and 2007-08 are available in Housing Statistics live table 734
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/141656.xls
	These estimates are based on data from the Survey of English Housing.

Shared Ownership Schemes

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many shared ownership purchases were made in  (a) London and  (b) England by people registered on housing waiting lists in each year since 2000; and what proportion of all such sales this represented in each such year.

Ian Austin: The following table shows the number of shared ownership completions made in London and England by people on housing waiting lists, and as a percentage of total shared ownership sales.
	
		
			   London  England 
			   Number of sales  Percentage of sales  Number of sales  Percentage of sales 
			 2000-01 550 53 1,360 36 
			 2001-02 540 47 1,310 32 
			 2002-03 630 50 1,620 36 
			 2003-04 760 49 1,830 38 
			 2004-05 1,170 51 2,830 45 
			 2005-06 820 35 2,910 38 
			 2006-07 1,040 37 3,620 34 
			  Source: CORE (Continuous Recording) returns to the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) from Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) 
		
	
	CORE data only records data from RSLs with at least 250 units or bed spaces, so the figures above may be underestimates if not all RSLs are included. Also not all CORE data is compulsory for RSLs to complete, and details on whether sales were made to people on LA waiting lists was missing in approximately 20 per cent. of returns.
	Details on whether shared ownership sales were made to people on LA waiting lists was removed from the CORE form in 2007-08, so the figures are only available up to 2006-07.

Social Housing Grant: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much social housing grant was  (a) allocated to and  (b) bid for by each London local authority in each allocation round since 2000.

Ian Austin: Local authorities have been able to apply for social housing grant since 2004, but to date none has. In May we invited local authorities to bid for a share of the £100 million announced in the Budget (with a later addition of up to £250 million) for local authorities to deliver new social housing. The first bids are expected shortly.

Tony Clements

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what post Mr. Tony Clements holds in his Department; and on what date he was appointed.

Shahid Malik: Tony Clements is a civil servant, working as a policy adviser in the Strategy and Performance Directorate. He was appointed on 29 June 2009.

HEALTH

Aerials: Health Hazards

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring and reviewing of the evidence of the symptoms of radio frequency radiation the Health Protection Agency has undertaken in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 9 July 2009
	 The HPA carries out research on radiofrequency radiation, monitors other studies, and conducts comprehensive reviews of the scientific evidence. The independent Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR) also prepares reviews for the HPA of the evidence for health effects. AGNIR published a review of health effects in relation to radio waves in 2003 (see documents of the NRPB, volume 14, number 2: Health Effects from Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields: Report of an independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation), and the HPA in 2004 (see documents of the NRPB, volume 15, number 3: Review of the Scientific Evidence for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (0-300 GHz)). These publications are both available on the HPA website. AGNIR is commencing another review of the health effects of radio wave exposures, which is expected to take two to three years to complete.
	A copy of the report Report 2007 from the independently managed Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHR), funded by Government and industry, has been placed in the Library. None of the studies completed demonstrated that biological or adverse health effects are produced by radiofrequency exposure from mobile phones or base stations. Further research is being carried out to address longer-term exposures and to assess whether hypersensitivity symptoms can be caused by exposure to terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) signals. Further information on these studies is available on the MTHR website at:
	www.mthr.org.uk/research_projects/MTHR2_projects.htm
	The HPA has concluded that there is no consistent evidence to date that exposure to radio waves from wireless networks adversely affects the health of the general population. Radiofrequency exposures are likely to be lower than those from mobile phones and well within the internationally accepted guidelines from the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. The HPA keeps the situation under ongoing review. The HPA is carrying out a systematic programme of research into wireless local area networks and their use, expected to be complete in 2010. Details can be seen on the HPA website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAwebHPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733726123?p=1171991026241

Blood: Contamination

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date, and in what location, the documents relating to the infection of haemophiliacs through contaminated blood products released by his Department on 20 May 2009 were discovered; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 13 July 2009
	The 468 documents released on 20 May 2009 were found in around 40 folders which contained documents from the late 1980s and 1990. These folders were stored at Wellington house, a Department of Health building. While preparing an inventory of these folders in July 2008, departmental officials became aware that they also contained documents relevant to the period before 1985 and a full assessment of the content of all the folders was therefore undertaken.
	Many of the documents from the relevant period were found to be copies of those already released. There were 469 previously unreleased documents identified, none of which was judged to add materially to the knowledge of events in the years before 1985. One document from this batch was withheld as it contained personal information about a patient. The remaining 468 were released as soon as was practicable.

Blood: Contamination

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the documents relating to the infection of haemophiliacs through contaminated blood products have been requested for release and not released by his Department; on what grounds the documents have not been released; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 13 July 2009
	Since 1 January 2005, 30 requests have been received under the Freedom of Information Act to release documents relating to the infection of haemophilia patients through contaminated blood products. Eight of these requests were rejected under section 12 of the Act as the cost involved would exceed the statutory cost limit, which is £600 for central Government.
	Of the remaining 22 requests, there were 25 instances where documents were withheld from 12 of these requests. The breakdown is as follows:
	One instance withheld as exempt from disclosure under section 28;
	Two instances withheld as exempt from disclosure under section 34;
	Seven instances withheld as exempt from disclosure under section 35;
	Two instances withheld as exempt from disclosure under section 36;
	Three instances withheld as exempt from disclosure under section 40; and
	10 instances withheld as exempt from disclosure under section 43.
	Data are not held on the number of individual documents or parts of documents that each withheld instance relates to.
	In addition, more than 5,500 documents (including those released on 20 May 2009) covering the relevant time period have been voluntarily released by the Department in line with the Freedom of Information Act. Of these documents, seven, two of which are duplicates, have been withheld under a Freedom of Information exemption because they contain personal information.

Blood: Contamination

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups of people other than individuals with bleeding disorders his Department has identified who were exposed to potentially contaminated blood and blood products as a result of medical treatment between the 1970s and 1990s; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The groups, in addition to patients with bleeding disorders, who may have been exposed to potentially contaminated blood and blood products received treatment for a range of conditions. These patients include those with primary immunodeficiency who received immunoglobulins, as well as some who required treatment with several infusions of intravenous immunoglobulin G or of plasma, for conditions such as immune thrombocytopaenic purpura or rapid anticoagulation reversal respectively.
	Some patients who received transfusions of blood components (red cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate) before effective tests to screen donated blood for HIV and hepatitis C became available (1985 and 1991 respectively), may also have been exposed.
	Recipients of transfusions of blood components may have been exposed to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) during the 1980s and 1990s. To date, four cases of vCJD infection associated with transfusion have been identified, three of which resulted in clinical symptoms in the transfusion recipient. All recipients of blood from the donors to these cases were traced and those living notified of their risk status. Some recipients of plasma products manufactured from United Kingdom sourced pooled plasma between 1980 and 2001 were identified as being potentially 'at risk' for vCJD as a result of their treatment in line with risk assessment advice from the CJD Incidents Panel in 2004.

Blood: Contamination

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the Department's look-back exercise to identify patients who may have been infected with HIV or hepatitis C through blood and blood products will include patients who were at risk of infection but who do not have bleeding disorders; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when the Department plans to  (a) start and  (b) finish its look back exercise to identify patients who may have been infected with HIV or hepatitis C as a result of infected blood and blood products, but who are unaware of the fact; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The precise terms and duration of the look-back exercise are due to be finalised imminently with the United Kingdom Haemophilia Centres Doctors' Organisation (UKHCDO). It is likely that the look-back exercise will concentrate on patients with bleeding disorders who may have been infected, as indicated in the Government response to Lord Archer's independent report into national health service supplied contaminated blood and blood products, but the UKHCDO will also take the opportunity to consider the need to include any other patient groups who may have been infected.
	There was a look-back exercise in 1995 to identify and offer hepatitis C testing to recipients of blood transfusions from known hepatitis C infected blood donors. The Department's ongoing hepatitis C awareness campaign, which has been running since 2005, highlights the risks of hepatitis C infection, including specifically from blood transfusions or blood products in the UK before it was possible to introduce safety measures, and encourages patients who may be at risk to discuss the need for testing with their doctor.
	Patients infected with HIV through contaminated blood transfusions or blood products in the UK are likely to have already been identified because of the clinical nature of the disease, as it is now over 20 years since HIV testing was introduced by the blood services.

Blood: Contamination

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many partners of haemophiliacs infected with  (a) HIV and  (b) hepatitis C through contaminated blood products have been infected with (i) HIV and (ii) hepatitis C as a result; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department does not hold details of the number of infected partners of haemophiliacs infected with HIV and hepatitis C.
	The Macfarlane Trust holds details of the number of partners of HIV infected haemophilia patient registrants, who have become a beneficiary in their own right under the ex-gratia scheme.
	The Skipton Fund, which administers the ex-gratia scheme to haemophilia patients and others infected with hepatitis C, does not keep a separate record of the number of people who were infected by their partners.

Blood: Contamination

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many haemophiliacs had tested positive for hepatitis C antibodies in their blood by August 1990 as a result of the application of the Elisa test; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  on what date the  (a) first and  (b) last haemophiliac was informed of the results of the test for the prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies in their blood from the Elisa test; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: This information is not held centrally by the Department. This is a matter for the patient and their clinician, and such information would not necessarily be held by the Skipton Fund.

Blood: Safety

Edward O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to expedite the adoption of pathogen inactivation measures in order to improve blood safety; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Pathogen inactivation is one of the options the independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs will consider for further reducing the infection risk from platelets (a blood component) at its next meeting in July 2009. There are no pathogen inactivation systems currently available for red cells, the most widely transfused blood component.

Breast Cancer: Males

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department  (a) has commissioned and  (b) has evaluated on male breast cancer in each of the last 10 years; what research on the subject it plans to commission; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department has not directly commissioned research on male breast cancer, and has no plans to do so.
	Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Department's total expenditure on health research has been devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. Details of individual NHS supported research projects undertaken during that time, including some concerned with male breast cancer, are available on the archived national research register at:
	https://portal.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/NRRArchiveSearch.aspx
	The Medical Research Council is one of the main agencies through which the Government support biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The MRC supports a broad portfolio of research on breast cancer. While this research is mainly related to female breast cancer, much of it will also be relevant to male breast cancer, as symptoms, diagnosis and treatment are similar in men and women.

Electromagnetic Fields: Health Hazards

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response his Department made to  (a) the interim report of the Government's stakeholder advisory group on extremely low frequency electronic and magnetic fields (SAGE) of April 2007 and  (b) the Health Protection Agency's response of October 2007 to the SAGE interim report.

Gillian Merron: A Government response to the First Interim Assessment published by the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (SAGE) is currently being finalised.
	The Health Protection Agency's advice to Government on the SAGE First Interim Assessment on power lines and property, wiring in homes and electrical equipment in homes was issued in October 2007. Both the HPA's advice and the reply from the Minister of State are on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthprotection/DH_4089500

Epilepsy: Drugs

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on people with epilepsy of generic substitution of anti-epileptic drugs.

Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (John Battle) and the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare (John Penrose) on 13 July 2009,  Official Report, columns 165-66W.

Food: Chemical Analysis

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance the Food Standards Agency has issued to local authorities on their budgetary provision for chemical analysis of food; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Local authority food sampling responsibilities are set out in the statutory food law code of practice (separate parallel codes of practice exist for each of the four United Kingdom countries). Local authorities are required to put together a sampling programme that details their intended food sampling priorities, taking into account the number, type and risk rating of premises in their area and any national or local consumer issues that may influence sampling rates. Also important are any responsibilities under the originating or home authority principle.
	Local authorities must ensure the resources necessary to carry out the food sampling programme are made available.
	The Food Standards Agency board annually examine monitoring reports of local authorities activities including sampling annually, looking at both national trends and the position of individual authorities. Where an individual local authority reports figures which are not considered to be acceptable, further enquiries are made of that authority, and the agency will, if appropriate, use its powers formally to audit that authority's services.

Health Foods: Channel Islands

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the contribution of the Minister of State for Health of 5 May 2009,  Official Report, column 54WH, in the Westminster Hall debate on health food products (Channel Islands), what further information he has received on  (a) a timetable for the implementation of the food supplements directive and nutrition and health claims regulation in Jersey and  (b) the plans of the authorities in Guernsey to implement the legislation; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether the Food Standards Agency has been asked by the Government of Jersey to provide an opinion on whether the definition of food business operator includes fulfilment businesses; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The FSA is awaiting responses from the Government of Jersey regarding their timetable for implementing the food supplements directive and the nutrition and health claims regulation and from the Government of Guernsey about their plans for the implementation of this legislation.
	In September 2008, an official of the Government of Jersey sought the view of the FSA as to the status of businesses trading in foodstuffs which never physically fall into their possession. In its response, the FSA advised that as the definition of 'food business' in Regulation (EC) 178/2002 (General Food Law) refers to
	activities related to any stage of production, processing and distribution of food
	this would not preclude businesses of the type mentioned from falling under the definition and, hence, being subject to relevant food law.

Health Services: Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to reduce inequalities in access to health services for children.

Ann Keen: Healthy lives brighter futures, the strategy for children and young people's health identified tackling inequalities as a key area for improvement. It sets out plans for universal, targeted and specialist support across three life stages-early years and pregnancy, schools age and young people-as well as the additional support for children and young people in need of acute or ongoing health care, including a range of measures to address inequalities. It is for primary care trusts working with local authorities and other local partners to ensure their local needs assessment and planning addresses the full range of local needs, and that the local service offer is communicated to all families. A copy of the strategy has already been placed in the Library.
	Examples of specific initiatives include the family nurse partnership, while the universal programme for all, the Healthy Child programme, includes preventative services for children with additional risks.
	Tackling health inequalities in children is also a key theme of the national health inequalities strategy, the Programme for Action, and reducing the infant mortality gap between routine and manual group and the whole of the population is part of the health inequalities 2010 public service agreement target. A national support team for infant mortality designed to improve infant and maternal health outcomes and service delivery in disadvantaged areas was launched on 22 April 2009. A copy of Programme for Action has been placed in the Library.

Health Services: Domestic Visits

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times  (a) he and  (b) Ministers in his Department visited (i) a dental practice, (ii) an optometrist, (iii) a GP surgery, (iv) a pharmacy and (v) an NHS walk-in centre in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: The following visits occurred during the period 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009. Visits by each Minister were:
	
		
			  Alan Johnson (until June 2009) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 4 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 16 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Andy Burnham (from June 2009 onwards) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 0 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 0 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Ben Bradshaw (until June 2009) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 2 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 8 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Mike O'Brien (from June 2009 onwards) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 0 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 1 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Ann Keen 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 2 
			 An optometrist 1 
			 A GP surgery 1 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Dawn Primarolo (until June 2009) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 0 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 0 
			 A pharmacy 1 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Gillian Merron (from June 2009 onwards) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 0 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 0 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Ivan Lewis (until October 2008) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 0 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 0 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Phil Hope (from October 2008 onwards) 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 1 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 1 
			 A pharmacy 0 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Lord Darzi 
			  Type of organisation  Number of visits from 1 June 2008 to 9 July 2009 
			 A dental practice 0 
			 An optometrist 0 
			 A GP surgery 9 
			 A pharmacy 1 
			 An NHS walk-in centre 0

Health Services: Private Sector

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines the NHS issues to trusts on procedures for the recovery of debts incurred by private patients.

Mike O'Brien: The Department does not provide specific guidelines to national health service trusts in respect of the recovery of debts incurred by private patients.
	However, the Department does issue to NHS organisations a model financial governance framework that refers to debt management.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to Lord Laird of 1 June 2009,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column WA31, on health: former UK residents, what methodology was used to calculate the UK average cost for pensioners and their dependants; and what information his Department has received from the government of the Republic of Ireland on the calculation of its average cost.

Gillian Merron: The United Kingdom's average cost for pensioners and their dependents, is based upon the number of these people living in the UK (using Office for National Statistics data for the relevant year) and the expenditure that relates to national health service health care provided to them (using information from departmental and NHS accounts). The Department does not have access to the full methodology used by the Republic of Ireland for calculating its average costs, as under European Union rules there is no obligation on one member state to share this with another.
	EU regulation 1408/71 covers how citizens visiting, working and retired in other EEA (European economic area) member states access health care.
	Under these regulations, member states bill each other back for health care provided to pensioners and their dependents, on the basis of an average cost. Each member state calculates its own average costs, taking into account the overall amount they spend on their health care system and the size and profile of their population.
	Member states have their average costs scrutinised and agreed by an EU-level group of which the UK is a member.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to Lord Laird of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, House of Lords, column WA32, on health: former UK residents, for what reasons the UK has not made claims against other EU member states in relation to overseas visitors treated by the devolved health authorities; and what estimate he has made of the cost of treatment provided by devolved health authorities in respect of which the UK has not made a claim in each of the last 10 years.

Gillian Merron: So far, it has not been possible to establish why claims have not been raised by the United Kingdom in respect of treatment provided by the devolved health authorities. However, the Department is working with the Ministry of Justice to identify the information requirements from the devolved Administrations so that this matter can be resolved. As referred to in the answer to Lord Laird of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, House of Lords, column WA32, departmental officials are currently exploring the scope for obtaining the necessary data. Until systems are in place, it is not possible to make a meaningful estimate of the cost of treatment not historically claimed for.

HFE Bill 1990 Hansard

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file INW0014/0030/0012/VO2 HFE Bill 1990 Hansard; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of each document in his Department's file INW0014/0030/0012 HFE Bill 1990 Hansard; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Volume 1 of file INW 14/30/12, HFE Bill 1990, Hansard, contains only copies of the daily House of Lords official reports published in 1989 and 1990, editions as shown in the table:
	
		
			  Registered File INW 14/30/12, HFE Bill 1990, Hansard, VOL 1 
			  Lords/Commons  Date  Volume Number  Edition Number 
			 Lords 7 December 1989 513 11 
			 Lords 1 February 1990 515 31 
			 Lords 6 February 1990 515 33 
			 Lords 7 February 1990 515 34 
			 Lords 8 February 1990 515 35 
			 Lords 13 February 1990 515 38 
			 Lords 14 February 1990 515 39 
			 Lords 6 March 1990 516 50 
			 Lords 7 March 1990 516 51 
			 Lords 13 March 1990 516 54 
			 Lords 20 March 1990 517 58 
		
	
	Volume 2 of the file contains copies of the daily House of Lords and House of Commons official reports published in 1990 and 1992, editions as shown in the table, plus three copies of the Abortion Regulations 1991:
	
		
			  Registered File INW 14/30/12, HFE Bill 1990, Hansard, VOL 2 
			  Lords/Commons  Date  Volume  n umber  Edition  n umber 
			 Commons 25 April 1990 171 93 
			 Commons 24 April 1990 171 92 
			 Commons 23 April 1990 171 91 
			 Commons 2 April 1990 170 84 
			 Lords 11 June 1992 537 20 
			 Lords 30 June 1992 538 30 
			 Commons 15 July 1992 211 50 
			 Lords 18 October 1990 522 139 
			 Commons 20 June 1990 174 125 
			 Commons 21 June 1990 174 126 
		
	
	These publications are available from the Library.

HIV Infection and Hepatitis C

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the average  (a) annual and  (b) total lifetime cost to the NHS of a person with (i) HIV and (ii) hepatitis C; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The estimated average annual cost to the national health service for a person with HIV is £14,000-£15,000. These costs will vary according to immune status. The average lifetime treatment costs for HIV is estimated to be between £135,000-£181,000 although this may increase as life expectancy continues to increase.
	For hepatitis C, the cost of drug therapy is estimated to be between £6,000-£15,000, depending on the duration of treatment, which is currently 24 or 48 weeks.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2009,  Official Report, column 650, on influenza pandemic, what the interim service is that could be launched within a week;
	(2)  what tests of the flu line service have been undertaken; when they were undertaken; what was tested in each case; and what the outcome of each such test was.

Gillian Merron: The interim National Pandemic Flu Service will consist of a phone service that the public can access through a single 0800 number, and a supporting website application. This will mean that people can have their symptoms assessed either over the phone or online. Those symptoms will be checked against an algorithm-a list of the key symptoms and factors that determine whether the patient in question has been exposed to the infection. If it is established that they have developed swine flu, they will if appropriate, be issued with an authorisation number that they will then need to access antivirals. Their go-between-their flu friend-will then take that authorisation number to their nearest collection point to obtain the antivirals.
	The following tests have been conducted on the full National Pandemic Flu Service:
	April to June 12: Unit and Module testing of the Public Web, Call Centre, National Pandemic Flu Service Professional (i.e. the facility for a limited number of Healthcare professionals to authorise an antiviral). This is to test that each part of the system functions as required, as it is developed. These tests were conducted and demonstrated that the system was functioning as expected. The testing approach and results were also independently reviewed.
	15 to 22 June: Functional Acceptance tests. This is to test the entire system, end to end, to ensure all of its components function together as required. These tests were conducted independently of the supplier and demonstrated that the system was functioning as expected.
	Further testing will be undertaken as the National Pandemic Flu Service is made ready to go live between now and the autumn. This will include a full user acceptance testing process.

Influenza: Business

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which public bodies are responsible for  (a) informing and  (b) assisting businesses in planning and handling of an influenza pandemic.

Gillian Merron: Government Departments are responsible for ensuring that their sponsored sectors are aware of the challenges posed by pandemic influenza. They do this through regular exchanges with, for example, representative bodies and the dissemination of relevant information to assist with planning. As part of this two-way process, they also identify emerging policy issues that need to be addressed.
	Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, local authorities are required to provide advice and assistance to businesses within their area on business continuity planning. In addition, many operators of critical national infrastructure are designated as category 2 responders under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, and are therefore closely engaged in resilience planning at various levels within the United Kingdom.
	In response to the swine flu outbreak, the Government have established a Business Advisory Network for Flu to help co-ordinate advice to employers. Additional guidance and information is available through the Business Link website.

Influenza: Health Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with pharmaceutical wholesalers on preparations for an influenza pandemic in the last 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has a range of discussions with pharmaceutical wholesalers about matters of joint interest. This has included preparations for an influenza pandemic.

Legislation: Documents

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what files his Department holds on  (a) the draft Tissues and Embryos Bill,  (b) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [ Lords] and  (c) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The files held by the Department on the Human Tissues and Embryos draft Bill, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [ Lords] and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  File number  File name 
			 EAX/034 Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill 
			 EAX/036 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2007/08 
			 EAX/037 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008: Implementation

Mental Health Services: Finance

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the statement of 10 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 297-300, on health and social care, how much of the funding of £170 million for a psychological therapy service has been allocated to each health trust; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Annual funding for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) will rise to £173 million in its third year (2010-11) and funding is allocated to strategic health authorities on the basis of a weighted capitation formula.
	Under this formula, primary care trusts are allocated funding based on their share of the total population in England, weighted to account for an individual PCT's population's healthcare needs relative to other PCTs.
	Allocations to PCTs are made by regional programme boards to those services that meet IAPT programme quality standards. These relate to: clinical leadership; a third of the staff being appropriately qualified to supervise and support the trainees; suitable accommodation for the services to operate from; training provided in line with the programme's national curricula; data systems that can collect outcome information effectively for at least 90 per cent. of patients; and recruitment and work force planning.

Mentally Ill: Suicide

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) suicides and  (b) attempted suicides there have been of individuals in the care of each mental health trust in each year from 2000 to 2008.

Phil Hope: The Department does not collect these figures centrally. However, the national confidential inquiry into suicide and homicide (NCISH) by people with mental illness collects certain figures around this issue and the following table shows numbers of people by calendar year who were in contact with mental health (MH) services in England in the year prior to their death. This includes those who were under the care of services as out-patients and the table also includes the number and percentage of those in contact with services who were in-patients at the time of their death.
	It should be noted that the inquiry sample includes both suicide and open verdicts at coroners' inquest. Open verdicts are often thought to be suicides and are conventionally used in suicide rate estimation in the United Kingdom. Neither the Department nor the NCISH collect information on attempted suicides.
	We are unable to release information relating to specific mental health trusts without the permission of those trusts.
	
		
			  Suicides in contact with mental health services in the year prior to death (England only) 
			   Suicides in contact with MH services N=8,565  In-patients  N=1,153 (%) 
			 2000 1,248 196 
			 2001 1,260 179 
			 2002 1,249 165 
			 2003 1,249 183 
			 2004 1,307 158 
			 2005 1,253 151 
			 2006 999 121

Reciprocal Health Services: Elderly

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on the health of elderly people of the termination of the reciprocal health agreement with the Isle of Man; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department has not yet given formal notice on the bilateral agreement between the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man but it has informed the Isle of Man of the intention to do so. As the termination of the agreement has not yet been formalised, neither the UK nor the Isle of Man has confirmed which treatments will be chargeable to tourists after the termination of the agreement. However, the Department will recommend private travel insurance for tourists, as it does for all travel outside the UK. Given the wide availability of travel insurance, termination of the agreement is not expected to have a significant adverse effect on any group of the population, including the elderly.

Sunbeds: Young People

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the percentage of 11 to 17 year olds who use sun beds in  (a) urban and  (b) rural areas in England and Wales;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's report on the cancer reform strategy, Maintaining Momentum, published on 1 December 2008, when he expects to publish further information on sun bed use by young people;
	(3)  if he will commission research on the reasons for which those aged under 18 years old use sun beds;
	(4)  what recent reports he has received of the annual incidence of deaths arising from sun bed use.

Gillian Merron: The recent report of the committee on medical aspects of radiation in the environment (COMARE) summarises evidence on sunbed use amongst young people and also refers to estimates of the number of deaths accounted for by sunbed use. The report can be accessed at:
	www.comare.org.uk/13thPressRelease.htm
	The Department has commissioned further research from Cancer Research UK which is expected to cover what factors motivate young people to use sunbeds in a particular setting. We will consider making these data available in due course.

Swine Flu

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the statement of 12 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 1052-63, on swine flu update, what plans are in place to ensure that critical care capacity is in place where it is needed; and what recent assessment he has made of the level of critical care capacity required to meet those needs;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure the operation surveillance and testing for swine flu of people in hospital with respiratory illnesses;
	(3)  what percentage of those diagnosed with swine flu have required intensive care treatment to date.

Gillian Merron: It is not possible to estimate the number of critical care beds required in a flu pandemic because this will depend upon a range of factors such as the clinical attack rate, the most 'at risk' population and the number of flu victims requiring intensive care. The percentage of those diagnosed with swine flu that have required intensive care treatment is less than 1 per cent.
	In the 'Managing Demand and Capacity in Health Care Organisations (Surge)' guidance, it is advised that, within their local flu contingency plans, acute hospitals will aim to double the number of critical care beds available. A copy of the guidance has already been placed in the Library. Managing demand will also be achieved by cancelling elective work and redeploying clinical staff from services such as theatres to help provide a level of critical care across this increased demand. The guidance also includes measures to relieve pressure such as increased use of agency and retired staff.
	In June 2009, the Chief Medical Officer issued advice to national health service staff about the measures they should take to ensure adequate surveillance and testing of hospital patients for swine flu. A copy of that advice has been placed in the Library.

Swine Flu

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 1052-63, on swine flu update, from which locations in each primary care trust area patients who require antiviral medication are being asked to collect that medication; what the reasons are for the time taken to designate such collection points; and when he expects all arrangements for such collection points to be in place.

Gillian Merron: Primary care trusts already have arrangements in place for antiviral collection points as part of pandemic flu planning. Strategic health authorities have been reviewing this earlier this year to ensure that plans are robust, that a good spread is available across each PCT geographically and that sufficient collection points can be up and running to meet the needs of the population. All PCTs are able to establish an initial antiviral collection point (ACP) within 48 hours, to provide at least one ACP which can be operational on a 24/7 basis with the remainder offering a range of opening hours dependent upon demand. Within seven days of the request to mobilise PCTs are able to have sufficient ACPs up and running to meet the needs of the population as necessary. Timing of mobilisation of collection points and locations will depend upon the level of demand from swine flu in each local area. PCTs in each area are providing local communications in each area to tell the population where collection points are located. The detail of where all collection points are operating is not held centrally.

Swine Flu

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 1052-63, on swine flu update, for what reasons the National Pandemic Flu Line service will not be operational until the autumn; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the change to the timetable for the establishment of the full service.

Gillian Merron: The full National Pandemic Flu service continues to be planned for operation during the autumn, if required. As a result of the swine flu outbreak the build of the original 'flu line' system was put on hold so that an interim solution, including additional antiviral collection point functionality, could be developed and tested to be available more quickly if needed. The additional costs related to building the interim solution amount to approximately £2.5 million and are the only additional system build costs incurred to date in respect of the interim solution.

Swine Flu

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 1052-63, on swine flu update, who the members of the strategic advisory group of experts are; on which dates the group has met; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each such meeting.

Gillian Merron: On 12 June 2009, the Secretary of State for Health mentioned SAGE but in error referred to the strategic advisory group of experts, which advises the World Health Organisation on immunisation. He intended to refer to the scientific advisory group for emergencies (SAGE), which has been established to provide cross government scientific advice regarding the outbreak of swine flu.
	The members of this committee are as follows:
	Professor John Beddington (Co-Chair)
	Professor Sir Gordon Duff (Co-Chair)
	Professor David Harper (Lead Government Department)
	Professor Sir Roy Anderson
	Professor Dame Sally Davies (Departmental Chief Scientific Adviser)
	Dr. Meirion Evans
	Professor Neil Ferguson
	Professor George Griffin
	Dr. Peter Grove
	Professor Andrew Hall
	Dr. Stephen Inglis
	Dr. Steve Leach
	Professor Susan Michie
	Professor Angus Nicoll
	Professor Karl Nicholson
	Professor Peter Openshaw
	Professor Deenan Pillay
	Sir John Skehel
	Professor Jonathan Van Tam
	Professor Maria Zambon
	SAGE was established in May 2009 and has since had 11 meetings on the following dates:
	5, 8, 12, 18, 20, 26 May
	2, 9, 15, 22, 29 June
	We will not be placing copies of the minutes of each SAGE meeting in the Library at the present time. The majority of SAGE work is directly commenting on or providing input to the formulation of Government policy. In addition, in order for SAGE to work effectively, members need to be free to discuss issues openly, including confidential evidence in their deliberations. The publication of the minutes may therefore prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs. However, we will keep the publication of minutes under review.

Swine Flu

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 12 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 1052-62, on swine flu update, what decisions the Health Minister took regarding pandemic influenza in 2007.

Gillian Merron: Departmental Ministers have been fully engaged in preparations for pandemic influenza for many years. Final decisions on pandemic preparedness have been the responsibility of the Secretary of State.

Swine Flu

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to enable people to purchase anti-pyretics in greater quantities over the counter for preparation in the event of them contracting swine influenza.

Gillian Merron: There are no current plans to do this. Antipyretics such as paracetamol and aspirin are available in packs of 16 tablets or capsules from general sale outlets such as supermarkets and up to two packs can be purchased at any one time. Larger packs of 32 tablets or capsules are designated as pharmacy medicines and are sold by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. Pharmacists have the professional discretion to sell up to 100 tablets or capsules without a prescription if they consider this is in the best interests of the patient. The need for professional advice and supervision when supplying these medicines does not reduce during a pandemic.

Swine Flu

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all primary care trusts have antiviral collection points accessible to all their populations.

Gillian Merron: Each primary care trust, or where demand from swine flu has been very modest across a number of PCTs has been asked to mobilise at least one antiviral collection point locally. More have been opened to respond to the level of demand from patients and the public for rapid access to antivirals.

Swine Flu: Hospital Beds

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of intensive care beds occupied by people diagnosed with swine influenza at the latest date for which figures are available.

Gillian Merron: In the 24 hours up to 8 am on 8 July 2009, 43 in-patients with swine influenza (swabbed or clinically presumed) were receiving critical care in national health service trusts in England.

Thalidomide

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has evaluated on the teratogenic properties of thalidomide.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 29 June 2009
	The Department has not evaluated any research on the teratogenic properties of thalidomide. Toxicity trials for pharmaceutical products, including tests for their teratogenic properties, are the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies.

Thame Hospital

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 524-25W, how much of the funding of £4 million from the community hospitals and services programme for the redevelopment of Thame hospital, Oxfordshire had been spent as at 1 July 2009, and what the timetable is for the completion of the re-development.

Mike O'Brien: The Thame community hospital programme is one of 28 schemes that has secured funding from the community hospital programme. The latest project programme from the primary care trust indicates that work on the new unit is planned to start on site in August 2010 and completion in September 2011. The PCT schedule indicates a requirement for funding of £2.28 million in 2010-11 and £1.72 million in 2011-12. Additional refurbishment of older buildings takes place from October 2011 to March 2012, and the PCT tells us that it will be operational in March or April 2012.

Tranquillisers

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the efficacy of his policy on the prescription of tranquillisers in limiting the number of medicines prescribed.

Gillian Merron: The addiction to prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines is a very important issue and a number of steps have been taken to tackle this problem with the main focus on advice to prevent such dependence occurring in the first place, by warning general practitioners of the potential side-effects of prescribed medicines and the dangers of involuntary addiction to benzodiazepines.
	Over the coming months the Department will be reviewing its policy on addiction to prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, including tranquillisers. This review will identify where and how policy should advanced, so that those addicted to prescription or OTC drugs receive high quality, effective services.

West London Mental Health NHS Trust

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the investigation commissioned by the Healthcare Commission in April 2008 into the West London Mental Health Trust will be  (a) completed and  (b) published.

Phil Hope: The Healthcare Commission's successor organisation, the Care Quality Commission, has informed us that it has completed its investigation into West London Mental Health NHS Trust. It will publish its report on its website on 21 July 2009.

Young People's Development Programme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which Minister has lead responsibility for the Young People's Development Programme;
	(2)  how much has been spent on the Young People's Development Programme since its inception; and what the Programme's projected budget is for the next five years.

Gillian Merron: The Minister who lead on Public Health had responsibility for the Young People's Development Programme. This pilot programme ran from 2004 to 2007 at a total cost of £6 million. The programme finished in spring 2007.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his Department's staff are working at each forward operating base in Helmand province.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) no longer publicises staff numbers for country offices, following an assessment of DFID's work in insecure environments by the National Audit Office in October 2008, and a range of improvements to our security policies and procedures.

Afghanistan: Reconstruction

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who is responsible for the reconstruction and development programme following the completion of Operation Panther's Claw in Helmand; and how much funding  (a) his Department and  (b) other agencies have allocated for the programme.

Michael Foster: Support to reconstruction and development in Helmand is led by an interdepartmental, civilian-military, multinational provincial reconstruction team (PRT), led by a UK Senior Representative from the Foreign Office. Four staff members of the Department for International Development (DFID) are integrated into the Helmand PRT.
	DFID core funding for Helmand this year is £18 million, which will include programmes benefiting the Babaji population such as agriculture support, basic infrastructure, and a major road.
	The PRT has developed a stabilisation plan around Operation Panther's Claw and the Babaji area. This includes work on supporting the Afghan Government to establish itself in cleared areas, to deliver health, education and policing services and to set up polling stations for the elections in August. The cross-Government stabilisation aid fund has set aside almost £15 million for district stabilisation across Helmand this year.
	The Asian Development Bank has pledged $50 million to co-fund two major infrastructure projects with DFID: a road linking Lashkar Gah and Gereshk (which goes around Babaji) and a hydro-power plant in Gereshk (also funded by Denmark). USAID will deliver a major agricultural programme across Helmand over the next year.

Afghanistan: Theme Parks

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the theme park for women in Lashkar Gah; and how much it cost.

Michael Foster: The Bolan Park was built in Bolan, Lashkar Gah, in 2007 at the request of the Governor of Helmand and in response to an identified local need: it functions as a symbol for security and development in the area. The park is providing much-needed recreational space and facilities for the people of Lashkar Gar and the surrounding area. It is open to men, women and children with one day each week being set aside for women's exclusive use. One of the first major events hosted there was a US-funded agricultural fair to promote legal livelihoods attended by 1,700 Afghans. The park was also used for a successful cultural event organised by the Helmand Governor, which attracted more than 2,000 people.
	The UK provided funding for the park through the Provincial Reconstruction Team. The park cost around £420,000 and was built alongside the Helmand River. The costs reflect the fact that during construction gabion walls were put in place to support the river bank, which helps prevent erosion, and to support the Bolan Bridge. In addition, the park has extensive lighting which is important for improving security at night.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what categories of personal information about members of the public are contained on each relevant database managed by his Department and its agencies; on what date each category of information began to be collected; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) manages the following databases that contain personal information on members of the public:
	Financial and Projects systems (ARIES, MIS and Coda) are used for administration of projects and accounts. These databases contain DFID suppliers and customers' contact and bank details (name, address, company registration number, VAT number, bank details and payment terms). Information on these categories has been collected since February 1998.
	The overseas pensions system supports administration and payment of pensions to former colonial servants. This database contains personal, bank and payment data (name, address, telephone number, bank details, next of kin) on former colonial servants, and was collected from February 1998.
	Correspondence systems enable tracking of parliamentary and public correspondence. These systems contain names and contact details (address, telephone, telephone number, email address) of correspondents. The information has been collected since December 1999.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each database expected to become operational in the next five years and which will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development has no current plans to build databases containing personal information on members of the public.

Developing Countries: Job Creation

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the oral statement of 6 July 2009,  Official Report, columns 701-4, on Building Our Common Future, which five fragile countries will receive his Department's new bilateral aid for job creation by 2013.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development's planned new programme of work to expand economic opportunities by creating jobs in fragile states will initially target Nigeria, Afghanistan, Nepal, Yemen and Ethiopia. Through our work in these five countries, we expect to create a maximum of 1.25 million jobs, which will benefit up to 7.5 million people in total over the next five years.

Developing Countries: Overseas Aid

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what grants his Department has made available to UK-based charities for projects to assist fragile states in the last 12 months.

Michael Foster: Centrally-managed Department for International Development grants available to UK-based charities for projects to assist fragile states are:
	The Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF)-£16.7 million of the fund covers projects in 15 fragile states with 31 UK-based agencies.
	Governance and Transparency Fund (GTF)-£25.2 million of the fund covers projects in 19 fragile states with 18 UK-based agencies.
	Partnership Programme Arrangements (PPAs)-this is unrestricted funding, covering the period 2008-2011 at £110 million a year with 26 UK-based agencies, many of which operate in fragile states.
	Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Fund (CHSF)-£28.8 million of these grants provide core funding to seven UK-based agencies, all of which operate in fragile states.
	DFID country offices in fragile states will also have made funds available to UK-based charities. It would require disproportionate effort to identify and list all such grants.

Global Partnership for Agriculture Food Security and Nutrition

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who will administer the new global partnership for agriculture food security and nutrition; what the UK's percentage contribution will be to the budget of the Partnership; and what the UK's cash contribution to the partnership will be in each of the next two financial years.

Gareth Thomas: Discussions are still on-going on administrative arrangements for the global partnership process. Options for staffing, funding needs, and objectives will be assessed. We envisage a fairly light administrative structure, providing primarily secretariat-type functions. A decision on longer-term support by the Department for International Development will be taken in due course.

Sierra Leone: Overseas Aid

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will increase the support provided by his Department for the development of democratic institutions and politicians in Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) is committed to supporting further the development of democratic institutions and politicians in Sierra Leone.
	To this end DFID has, for example, recently begun work to design a project of support to the 2012 elections in Sierra Leone, involving Sierra Leone's electoral management bodies, potential parliamentary candidates and civil society.

Sierra Leone: Overseas Aid

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations (NGOs) receive support from his Department  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly via the (i) EU and (ii) the United Nations for work in Sierra Leone; what support each such organisation received in (A) cash and (B) kind in 2008-09; for how long each such organisation has been supported by his Department; what projects in Sierra Leone have been supported by such NGOs with funds from his Department; what steps his Department takes to monitor effectiveness of such spending; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development's support for NGO's in Sierra Leone is set out in the following table. This provides information about the amount of assistance received in 2008-09; the projects funded; and the duration of the projects. DFID has supported NGOs for work in Sierra Leone since the end of the conflict in 2002. DFID has not funded the EU or UN to work with NGOs in Sierra Leone from its bilateral budget.
	DFID monitors closely and actively the effectiveness of all its spending, including that of support to NGOs. DFID staff based in Sierra Leone are in regular contact with project partners, and NGOs and others responsible for project implementation are required to submit regular reports on progress. It is a requirement to hold detailed annual reviews of each project.
	
		
			  NGOs receiving support from the Department for International Development for work in Sierra Leone 
			  NGO  Project, value and duration 
			 Christian Aid £30,000 in 2008-09 for Public Financial Management (PFM) design phase (ensure greater inclusiveness in the budget process, increase access to information, and improved responsiveness geared towards achieving gender-sensitive and pro-poor budgets and programmes) (Jan-June 2009). £50,000 in 2008-09 for Power to the People (five-year project, making governance work for marginalised groups). 
			 Plan International £1.6 million in 2008-09 through the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, to implement a community-led total sanitation project in Port Loko (2007-12). 
			 International Rescue Committee £100,000 in 2008-09 to support implementation of the Gender Acts with the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs (2008-10). 
			 Student Partnership Worldwide (SPW) £157,116 in 2008-9 as part of Education on Youth Reproductive Health and Life Skills project (2008-12). 
			 Conciliation Resources (CR) £50,000 in 2008-09 for increasing government accountability in conflict zones through public participation in policymaking (five-year project). £100,871 in 2008-9 for Community Peace and Empowerment in Southern Sierra Leone (2005-10) 
			 Partnership For Transparency Fund £16,000 in 2008-09 for a Citizens Against Corruption project (five-year project). 
			 BBC World Service Trust £125,000 in 2008-09 for A National Conversation: Promoting Accountability, Transparency and Participation through partnership with Public Broadcasters in Africa (five-year project) 
			 Tiri £51,000 in 2008-09 for 'Pro Poor Integrity! Civil Society Engagement to Make Governance and Transparency Work for Poor and Vulnerable Communities' (five-year project) 
			 Amnesty International £39,000 in 2008-09 for Sierra Leone as part of an Africa Rights Education Programme (four-year project). 
			 Search For Common Ground (SFCG) £30,000 in 2008-09 as one of the partners of the £3 million PIVOT programme (to promote transparency on elections) (2006-08). £16,000 in 2008-09 for support to messages on Maternal Mortality for International Women's Day (2008). £56,500 in 2008-09 for a media programme to strengthen good governance and transparency (three-year project). 
			 Education Action International (EAI) £148,180 in 2008-09 for 'Children's Rights to Inclusive and Effective education in Northern Province'' (2005-10). 
			 Apt Enterprise Development £111,387 in 2008-09 for 'Building the Capacity of Disadvantaged People in Sierra Leone to access their Livelihoods' (2006-10). 
			 Village Aid £99,915 in 2008-09 for 'Literacy and Livelihoods to Empower Young People and their Organisations in Sierra Leone' (2006-10). 
			 Trades Union Congress (TUC) £122,747 in 2008-09 for 'Rebuilding Trade Union Capacity in Sierra Leone' (2007-10). 
			 Help The Hospices £75,775 in 2008-09: Health Development Project (2008-13). 
			 National Democratic Institute £40,410 in 2008-9 as one of the partners of the £3 million PIVOT programme (to promote transparency on elections) (2006-08). 
			 Westminster Foundation For Democracy One of the partners of the £3 million PIVOT programme (to promote transparency on elections) (2006-08). 
			 Foundation Hirondelle £395,915 in 2008-09 as one of the partners of the £3 million PIVOT programme (to promote transparency on elections) (2006-08). 
			 Goal £21,351 in 2008-09 under the Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) programme to reduce the incidence and impact of water-borne diseases in disadvantaged urban areas of Freetown. (six months in 2008). 
			 World Vision Leads a consortium with CARE and ActionAid funded by DFID's Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE) to sensitise communities in security issues: 2008-12, value of project £1.6 million. 
			 Care £1 million in 2008-09 to manage the 'Enhancing the interface between Civil Society and the State (ENCISS)' programme (2004-12). £589,000 in 2008-09 for consortium of NGOs led by CARE to support implementation of the Government's Reproductive and Child Health programme in 5 districts (2006-09). Working on a Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE)-funded security project led by World Vision (see above). 
			 Action Aid £13,000 in 2008-09 as part of Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) monitoring to carry out a check of information on school and medical supplies being posted on public notice boards (2008). Working on a Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE)-funded security project led by World Vision (see above). 
			 Oxfam £102,072 in 2008-09 as one of the partners of the £3 million PIVOT programme (to promote transparency on elections): project ran 2006-08. Working on a Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE)-funded security project led by World Vision (see above).

Development Aid

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the growth rate that would need to be sustained in sub-Saharan Africa if that region is to meet the Millennium Development goals by 2015.

Michael Foster: Developing countries need sustained economic growth to meet many of the millennium development goals, but growth has a particularly important part to play in helping to achieve the MDG 1 targets, which are: to halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportions of people who live on less than a dollar a day and who suffer from hunger. Economic growth rates of at least 6 per cent. would need to be sustained in order to do this.

JUSTICE

Compensation: Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has identified a compensation culture within local government.

Shahid Malik: I have been asked to reply.
	The independent review into redress presented its findings on 17 June 2009. The review was not specifically asked to look at the issue of any compensation culture within local government. The review team did commission some focus groups with customers which found that most people, when making complaints about a public service, want a meaningful apology, an acknowledgement of what had gone wrong and a correction of the problem; financial compensation was a low motivator for people seeking redress.
	The Department commissioned the review following a commitment made in the Empowerment White Paper. This independent review was chaired by David Cook (the chief executive officer of Kettering borough council) and looked at how local authorities can not only improve how they deal with complaints but how they can get it right first time. The review focused on the more transactional services provided by local authorities, for example refuse collection, and did not focus on specific redress systems currently in place in local authorities across England.

Debt Collection

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 24 April 2009,  Official Report, column 958W, on debt collection, whether HM Courts Service plans to extend the guidance to county courts in the south-east to other Court Service areas.

Bridget Prentice: Her Majesty's Courts Service is currently evaluating the scheme in the county courts in the south east of taking payments by credit and debit cards, including the guidance. I am awaiting the results of the evaluation and the recommendations on the way forward.

Departmental Manpower

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of employees in his Department are  (a) women and  (b) men; and what the average hourly pay of his Department's (i) male employees and (ii) female employees was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jack Straw: The percentage breakdown by gender in MOJ (excluding the National Offender Management Service) for staff below the SCS is  (a) 68.43 per cent. female and  (b) 31.57 per cent. male.
	Based on data at 1 August 2008, the average hourly pay of these male and female employees, calculated on basic pay only, is:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Male  Female 
			 London 15.70 14.79 
			 National 11.44 10.55 
		
	
	 National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
	The percentage breakdown by gender of the work force directly employed by NOMS, excluding SCS, is  (a) 36 per cent. female and  (b) 64 per cent. male.
	Based on data for June 2009, the average hourly pay of male and female employees in NOMS, calculated on basic pay only is:
	(i) £12.72 for male employees;
	(ii) £11.33 for female employees.
	 Senior Civil Service (SCS)
	The percentage breakdown by gender for staff in the SCS (includes both MOJ and NOMS) is  (a) 36 per cent. female and  (b) 64 per cent. male.

Legal Aid Scheme

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 20 February 2008 to the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland,  Official Report, column 779W, on the legal aid scheme, what proportion of the population of England and Wales was eligible for civil legal aid in 2008.

Bridget Prentice: Civil legal aid covers a number of different areas of civil and family justice, and the extent to which applicants' financial circumstances are taken into account in granting legal aid varies considerably across these areas. It is therefore not possible to give figures for the number of people eligible for civil legal aid as a whole. However, some estimates of the likely number that would be eligible are available.
	The estimated proportion of the population of England and Wales who were eligible for civil legal aid, for categories in which financial circumstances were taken into account, was 29 per cent. in 2007. We do not have a figure for 2008. In 2009, we estimate that the figure for categories in which financial circumstances are taken into account is 36 per cent.. This increase in the eligible proportion of the population is likely to be due to the effects of the recession plus the 5 per cent. increase in the civil legal aid financial eligibility limits in April 2009. In 2007-08 civil legal aid helped over 1 million people with their civil and family legal problems.

National Archives

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much the National Archives expects to raise through the introduction of car parking charges at Kew;
	(2)  how many people visited the National Archives at Kew in each of the last five years.

Michael Wills: To date The National Archives has provided free parking for visitors to Kew. This has in effect been subsidised from their running costs budget. They are no longer in a position to continue this subsidy. In addition, in the context of the Government's green agenda, it is increasingly hard to justify the use of public funds in this way. They have therefore proposed the introduction of a fee to use their visitors' car park. The organisation is in the process of assessing the full extent of the car park running costs, and it is their intention that the income from the fee enables them to fully recover the costs. They are consulting with users, to gather their views on the level and structure of the charge. They will continue to provide free parking for holders of 'blue badges'.
	The following figures set out the number of unique visitors to the National Archives at Kew in each of the last five years:
	
		
			   Number of visitors 
			 2004-05 103,257 
			 2005-06 108,269 
			 2006-07 110,323 
			 2007-08 (1)92,855 
			 2008-09 108,100 
			 (1 )Between October 2007 and April 2008 there was a reduced service at Kew to allow for the refurbishment of their public services. 
		
	
	Over the course of these years, the number of original documents delivered on site has averaged 600,000 per year. At the same time, there has been a significant increase in the number of documents delivered online which, by the end of March 2009, had reached over 110 million.

Repossession Orders: Mortgages

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many mortgage possession orders were made in each county court in the east of England in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: The following table shows the number of mortgage possession orders made in the county courts of east of England Government office region for 2004 to 2008.
	These figures can also be obtained from the Ministry of Justice website, released quarterly and can be viewed at
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/mortgatelandlordpossession.htm
	These figures do not indicate how many homes have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order being made while not all court orders result in repossession.
	The civil procedure rules state that all claims for the repossession of land must be commenced in the district in which the land is situated. However, geographical boundaries of county courts may not necessarily be consistent with other administrative or constituency boundaries, and therefore any single court's repossession actions are likely to relate to homes in a different number of boroughs.
	
		
			  Number of mortgage( 1)  possession orders made( 2, 3)  in the county courts of the east of England Government office region, 2004 to 2008 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Basildon 612 910 1,048 1,050 1,198 
			 Bedford 186 311 269 293 309 
			 Bury St. Edmunds 124 191 220 235 263 
			 Cambridge 194 266 327 348 430 
			 Chelmsford 226 355 381 382 484 
			 Colchester 385 542 695 778 1,009 
			 Harlow 183 258 310 335 379 
			 Hertford 86 134 201 162 186 
			 Hitchin 183 288 323 350 376 
			 Huntingdon 121 153 229 174 232 
			 Ipswich 224 287 358 328 421 
			 King's Lynn 165 273 378 375 463 
			 Lowestoft 197 297 284 286 388 
			 Luton 458 718 858 820 946 
			 Norwich 251 414 490 428 735 
			 Peterborough 300 521 719 593 892 
			 Southend-on-Sea 416 620 657 606 760 
			 St. Albans 78 102 158 154 202 
			 Watford 258 418 516 515 661 
			 East 4,647 7,058 8,421 8,212 10,334 
			 (1 )Includes all types of mortgage lenders. (2 )The court, following a judicial hearing, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction. (3 )Includes outright and suspended orders, the latter being where the court grants the claimant possession but suspends the operation of the order. Provided the defendant complies with the terms of suspension, which usually require the defendant to pay the current mortgage or rent instalments plus some of the accrued arrears, the possession order cannot be enforced.  Source:  Ministry of Justice

PRIME MINISTER

Parliamentary Private Secretaries

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 454W, on Parliamentary Private Secretaries, when the new list of Parliamentary Private Secretaries will be published.

Gordon Brown: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the right hon. Member on 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 454W.

TREASURY

Departmental Manpower

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of employees in his Department are  (a) women and  (b) men; and what the average hourly pay of his Department's (i) male employees and (ii) female employees was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The following table shows HM Treasury employees' average hourly pay. Figures are based on the numbers of full-time equivalent staff as at 1 April 2009 (the date of the most recent pay review). Employees at HM treasury are paid for 36 hours net per week.
	
		
			  Range/grade  Percentage men  Men's average hourly salary  (£)  Percentage women  Women's average hourly salary  (£) 
			 B (AO) 26.9 10.15 73.1 10.63 
			 C (EO) 41.8 12.35 58.2 12.88 
			 D (HEO and SEO) 58.7 16.26 41.3 16.18 
			 E (Grades 7 and 6) 62.6 26.01 37.4 25.16 
			 SCSI (Grade 5) 54.3 34.05 45.7 33.97 
			 SCS2 (Grade 3) 73.7 50.54 26.3 54.31 
			 SCS3 (Grade 2 and above) 100.0 75.18 0.0 -

Departmental Publications

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much it cost to produce each of his Department's publications in each of the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Separate publication costs within individual campaign costs or report on individual titles within total publications costs are not available. To provide such information would involve disproportionate costs.

Energy: Low Carbon

Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral Statement of 22 April 2009 , Official Report, column 248 on the 2009 Budget, how much of the £405 million to support low-carbon energy production and advanced green manufacturing has been  (a) allocated and  (b) spent by each (i) Department and (ii) programme.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Budget funding of £405 million was split as follows:
	£250 million through BIS as part of the strategic investment fund
	£155 million through DECC.
	 BIS
	 (a) Allocated up to £163.5 million comprising: up to £120 million for the development of the offshore wind industry; £29.5 million for marine energy infrastructure and test facilities; £10 million for low-carbon vehicle infrastructure; £4 million for the manufacturing advisory service. The low-carbon industrial strategy has more detail on these allocations.
	 (b) These programmes have just been announced, so no money has been spent yet.
	 DECC
	 (a) Allocated up to £81.2 million, comprising: up to £22.5 million for the marine energy proving fund; up to £10 million for the green villages, towns and cities challenge; up to £6 million renewable construction materials; up to £6 million for 'smart grid' innovation; up to £6 million for geothermal energy; up to £4 million for pay as you save pilots; up to £1.7 million for the Whitehall district heating scheme; up to £25 million towards the UK innovation investment fund. The Energy White paper and low-carbon industrial strategy have more detail on these allocations.
	 (b) These programmes have just been announced, so no money has been spent yet.

Energy: Low Carbon

Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral statement of 22 April 2009,  Official Report, column 248 on the 2009 Budget, if he will allocate a proportion of the £405 million in support of low-carbon energy production and advanced green manufacturing to phase 2 of the low-carbon buildings programme.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: £45 million of the £405 million has been made available to the low-carbon building programme. This funding has enabled phase two to be extended from 1 July 2009 until 30 April 2011 with a budget of £30 million. The extension will continue to provide grant funding to charitable, community groups and public-sector organisation projects.

Euro Steering Committee

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the euro steering committee of 6 June 2007.

Stephen Timms: The Government's policy on membership of the single currency remains unchanged. It remains as set out by the previous Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in his statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.

Financial Services: City of London

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid to City investment banks for advice on restructuring the financial sector in the last 12 months; and how many employees of such banks have been seconded to his Department to work on that restructuring.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury's accounting system does not separately identify spending with investments banks. The following table shows spending with companies in 2008-09 that are known to be investment banks, but this may not represent a complete list.
	
		
			  Organisation  £ 000 
			 Deutsche Bank 41 
			 Citigroup 1,922 
			 Credit Suisse 6,365 
			 Morgan Stanley 1,501 
		
	
	The figures are provisional as they form part of the Treasury's resource account, which is subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The majority of the sums listed relate to advice given to the Treasury on financial stability measures. Under a number of agreements with financial institutions, certain fees are recoverable and the sums listed do not therefore represent a net cost to the Treasury.
	No record could be found of staff being seconded from the organisations listed to work on restructuring of the financial sector.

Financial Services: Regulation

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that non-executive directors of banks and other financial institutions are not appointed by those bodies.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Company directors are accountable to shareholders for the execution of their duties under the Companies Act 2006. Shareholders are responsible for holding directors accountable for their performance and stewardship and decide whether to appoint or reappoint directors. The function of non-executive directors in banks and other financial institutions is being considered by Sir David Walker as part of his review of bank corporate governance. Sir David's consultation paper was published on 16 July 2009 and the Government will consider its recommendations carefully.

Imports

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many consignments of goods were imported into the UK from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available. The Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories do not have a separate country of origin code from which HMRC can identify the imports concerned. Importers can only declare Israel or the occupied Palestinian territory as the country of origin on customs import declarations.

Imports

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the monetary value of goods exported from the UK to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: No estimate has been made. The Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories do not have a separate country code. Consequently, it is not possible for HMRC to identify the exports concerned. Exporters can only declare Israel or the occupied Palestinian territories as the country of destination on the customs export declaration.

Insurance: Motor Vehicles

Linda Riordan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the merits of preventing car insurance companies under-settling claims through the practice of early settlement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 11 June 2009,  Official Report, column 979W.

Members: Correspondence

Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the letter of 10 February 2009, ref 5/04229/2009, on banking bonuses from the hon. Member for Congleton on behalf of her constituent Mr. Pete Dobson.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the chief executive of HM Revenue and Customs plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 16 June 2009 on a constituent, case reference 1685132723.

Stephen Timms: The chief executive of HM Revenue and Customs will arrange for a reply to be sent to him no later than the week commencing 27 July 2009.

Nuclear Power: Costs

Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average cost to households of Exchequer funding and allowances schemes provided for the nuclear industry in respect of  (a) the production of nuclear energy and  (b) nuclear waste disposal in each of the last three years.

David Kidney: I have been asked to reply.
	 (a) There is no Exchequer funding and allowances schemes provided for the nuclear industry in respect of the production of nuclear energy.
	 (b) The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's mission to clean up and decommissioning the civil public nuclear legacy sites, which includes two operational Magnox nuclear power stations, is publicly funded through a mixture of direct government funding and commercial income from the remaining operational units on the legacy sites. The cost of delivering the NDA's mission is some £2.9 billion a year. The cost of the production of nuclear energy at the NDA's Oldbury and Wylfa sites is met through the income generated, with the balance used to offset the cost to the taxpayer of decommissioning the legacy.
	In addition, as part of British Energy's financial restructuring in 2005, the Government took responsibility for British Energy's historic nuclear fuel liabilities managed by BNFL (now managed by NDA) at an average cost of some £200 million per annum for the first 10 years, and falling thereafter, until 2029. The Nuclear Liabilities Fund has also made payments related to the cost of nuclear waste disposal and decommissioning of £3.5 million in the year to 31 March 2009.

Pay: North East

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average earnings of people of working age was in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside and  (c) the North East in each year since 1997.

Angela Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average earnings of people of working age was in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside and (c) the North East in each year since 1997. (286344)
	Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. It is a sample of all employees who are members of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) schemes.
	Estimates for people of working age would only be available at disproportionate cost, but we have provided average weekly earnings estimates for the breakdowns required for full-time and part-time employees.
	
		
			  Median gross weekly pay for full-time employee jobs( a) 
			  £ 
			   Jarrow parliamentary constituency  South Tyneside local authority  North East 
			 1997 (**)290.4 (*)289.7 299.4 
			 1998 (**)314.3 (*)314.7 302.4 
			 1999 (**)324.3 (*)313.5 314.0 
			 2000 (*)325.3 (*)335.7 329.3 
			 2001 (**)350.9 (*)351.0 333.7 
			 2002 (*)338.7 (*)325.6 344.8 
			 2003 (*)314.4 (*)331.4 348.4 
			 2004(b) (**)335.3 (*)379.7 372.9 
			 2004(c) (**)368.3 (*)380.5 370.2 
			 2005 (*)371.4 (*)369.7 383.7 
			 2006(d) (**)386.1 (*)383.8 398.1 
			 2006(e) (**)384.5 (*)384.9 394.8 
			 2007 (*)382.8 (*)382.7 404.3 
			 2008 (**)401.1 (*)408.5 420.6 
		
	
	
		
			  Median gross weekly pay for part-time employee jobs( a) 
			  £ 
			   Jarrow parliamentary constituency  South Tyneside local authority  North East 
			 1997 x- (**)82.2 83.5 
			 1998 x- x- 84.6 
			 1999 x- (**)92.4 91.4 
			 2000 x- (**)90.3 95.0 
			 2001 x- (**)99.1 100.4 
			 2002 x- (**)109.2 110.8 
			 2003 x- (**)104.5 116.1 
			 2004(b) x- (**)122.4 123.8 
			 2004(c) x- (**)119.1 122.0 
			 2005 x- (**)125.7 127.3 
			 2006(d) (**)119.2 (**)105.3 132.8 
			 2006(e) x- (**)107.6 132.9 
			 2007 x- (**)126.1 138.4 
			 2008 (**)127.0 (**)140.7 143.0 
			  Notes: (a) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (b) 2004 results excluding supplementary survey for comparison with 2003. (c) 2004 results including supplementary surveys designed to improve (d )2006 results with methodology consistent with 2005. (e )2006 results with methodology consistent with 2007.  Guide to quality The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV-for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220.  Key: CV = 5% * CV  5% and = 10% ** CV  10% and = 20% X CV  20%  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office for National Statistics. 1997 to 2008

Public Bodies

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the  (a) terms of reference are and  (b) timetable is for his Department's review of quangos;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the recent letter sent by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to Government departments on reviewing quangos.

Liam Byrne: On 3 July 2009 I announced that a review of arm's length bodies would be taken forward as part of the public value programme. The pre-Budget report will provide a progress report on the public value programme.

Taxation: Imports

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been received by the Exchequer in duties collected from companies importing goods into the UK from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: In the 12 months ending 31 March 2009, HM Revenue and Customs have issued demands for £21,494 customs duty on products imported into the UK from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory under the provisions of the EC-Israel Association Agreement.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Attendance Allowance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of adults over the age of 65 years she estimates were eligible for attendance allowance in  (a) Vale of York and  (b) England in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 (iii) 2005 and (iv) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: We are unable to estimate the percentage of adults over the age of 65 years who may be eligible for attendance allowance.

Carer's Allowance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department takes to monitor the adequacy of level of carer's allowance in meeting costs incurred by carers.

Jonathan R Shaw: Carer's allowance provides a measure of financial support for carers who give up the chance of full-time employment in order to look after a severely disabled relative, friend or neighbour. It is an income-maintenance benefit and is not designed to cover any costs arising from a person's caring responsibilities.

Children: Maintenance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to paragraph 13 of the National Audit Office report, Child Support Agency-Implementation of the Child Support Reforms, HC1174, Session 2005-06, how many cases are now estimated to be stuck in the system.

Helen Goodman: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 13 of the National Audit Office report Child Support Agency-Implementation of the Child Support Reforms published on 30 June 2006 how many cases are now estimated to be stuck in the system.
	The paragraph from the 2006 National Audit office report you have referenced sets out the Agency's estimate of the number of cases at the end of March 2006 affected by problems in the Agency's computer system which require cases to be progressed clerically. The Commission continues to publish information on the number of cases which are processed wholly clerically in Table 20 of the Child Support Agency's Quarterly Summary of Statistics; a copy of which is available in the House of Commons library, or online at:
	www.childmaintenance.org/publications/statistics.html
	The number of cases the Agency managed wholly clerically at the end of March 2009 was 60,000. Although the need to progress such cases clerically is not ideal, they should not be seen as stuck as around £1 million in child maintenance is now collected each week for these cases.
	Upgrades to the Agency's computer system one of which was also mentioned in paragraph 13 of the National Audit Office report and implemented successfully in September 2008 have reduced the incidence of cases being affected by problems and made it possible to identify and address problems more easily. At the end of March 2009, an estimated 27,500 cases which remain on the computer system also require partial clerical action to keep maintenance flowing to children. As the Agency continues to improve its client service, increasing the number of cases receiving maintenance, any additional cases identified are immediately investigated and either progressed clerically or the issue is resolved to allow the case to be wholly managed by the Agency's computer system.
	The number of cases managed clerically will therefore continue to rise in the medium term and information on the numbers so progressed will be published.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much  (a) debt and  (b) cumulative debt resulting from arrears attributed to the non-resident parent accrued to the Child Support Agency in each year since 1993.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 15 June 2009
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much (a) debt and (b) cumulative debt resulting from arrears attributed to the non-resident parent accrued to the Child Support Agency in each year since 1993.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission regularly publish information on the amount of child maintenance arrears outstanding at the end of each year as well as the overall growth in debt each year in Table 22 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS). This information is only available from April 1999.
	The latest copy of the Quarterly Summary of Statistics is available in the House of Commons library or online at:
	www.childmaintenance.org/publications/statistics.html
	The information that you have requested on the amount of arrears accruing in each year is not included in this table and the Agency can only provide an estimate for each year from March 2007. The attached table sets out both the estimated amount of new child maintenance arrears accruing in each year and the estimated amount by which arrears have been reduced. Arrears can be reduced either through repayment or where information has been provided to allow the case to be reassessed and the amount of arrears subsequently restated.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Child Maintenance Arrears 
			   March 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			 Arrears total (£ billion) 3.67 3.79 3.84 
			 Arrears increase (£ million) n/a 484 405 
			 Arrears reduction (£ million) n/a -363 -362 
			  Notes: 1. Movement in arrears components is based on an estimate from internal figures and is only available from March 2007, so only two years of information can be provided. 2. Arrears on each case have been calculated in the year to March 2007, March 2008 and March 2009. From this, each case has been classified as seeing an increase or a decrease in arrears across each year. The value of this increase or reduction has also been calculated. 3. This will only take into account the net arrears movement across the year and may miss some payments that have subsequently been cancelled out by further increases in debt within the year. 4. The figures for March 2009 are at the time of answering this question un-audited internal figures and are subject to revision which will be published in the CSA Annual Report and Accounts for 2008-09.

Departmental Information

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many requests for communications data were made by her Department and its agencies to communication service providers (CSPs) under section 1 of the Social Security Fraud Act 2001 in  (a) 2001,  (b) 2002,  (c) 2003,  (d) 2004,  (e) 2005,  (f) 2006,  (g) 2007 and  (h) 2008; and how many of these requests resulted in the requested communications data being disclosed by the relevant CSP.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 7 July 2009
	 The information requested is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Housing Benefit: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many housing benefit claims were made by residents in each London local authority in 2007-08; and how many of these were made in respect of  (a) private sector tenancies,  (b) social rented tenancies,  (c) in-work claims by private tenants and  (d) in-work claims by social tenants.

Helen Goodman: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of housing benefit claimants by tenure: Great Britain, London local authorities, August 2007 
			   Housing benefit claimants  Housing benefit claimants with private tenancies  Housing benefit claimants with social rented tenancies 
			 Great Britain 4,040,940 940,600 3,100,350 
			 London 698,340 155,340 543,010 
			 Barking 18,410 3,530 14,880 
			 Barnet 21,780 8,830 12,950 
			 Bexley 11,620 2,780 8,850 
			 Brent 28,230 8,210 20,020 
			 Bromley 15,860 3,880 11,980 
			 Camden 27,990 4,090 23,900 
			 City of London 1,170 70 1,100 
			 Croydon 26,690 10,510 16,190 
			 Ealing 24,610 7,000 17,610 
			 Enfield 25,090 9,650 15,450 
			 Greenwich 25,310 3,750 21,560 
			 Hackney 35,010 5,460 29,540 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 20,380 3,190 17,190 
			 Haringey 30,980 8,070 22,920 
			 Harrow 12,490 3,650 8,840 
			 Havering 11,160 2,530 8,630 
			 Hillingdon 15,970 4,280 11,690 
			 Hounslow 17,070 3,830 13,240 
			 Islington 28,840 2,210 26,630 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 16,060 2,700 13,360 
			 Kingston upon Thames 7,250 2,010 5,230 
			 Lambeth 35,070 5,230 29,840 
			 Lewisham 29,100 6,050 23,050 
			 Merton 10,570 2,470 8,100 
			 Newham 33,520 9,440 24,080 
			 Redbridge 14,630 5,690 8,940 
			 Richmond upon Thames 8,080 1,900 6,170 
			 Southwark 34,560 3,180 31,380 
			 Sutton 9,740 2,600 7,140 
			 Tower Hamlets 32,040 2,530 29,510 
			 Waltham Forest 22,140 6,090 16,050 
			 Wandsworth 23,200 5,430 17,770 
			 Westminster 23,730 4,510 19,220 
			  Notes: 1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. Housing benefit figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated. 4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. 5. From February 2007, DWP has been collecting more detailed HB/CTB data electronically from local authorities. Over time this will improve the accuracy, timeliness and level of detail available in the published statistics. However, until the new data have been fully quality assured to National Statistics standards, the most recent summary statistics available are for August 2007.  Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. case load stock-count taken in August 2007.

Housing Benefit: Greater London

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment was in each London local authority area in respect of  (a) private and  (b) social rented accommodation in 2007-08.

Helen Goodman: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Average weekly amount of housing benefit by tenure: Great Britain, London local authorities, August 2007 
			  £ 
			   Average amount of weekly housing benefit for: 
			   Private tenancies  Social rented tenancies 
			 Great Britain 89.87 65.84 
			 London 146.39 98.50 
			 Barking 139.46 80.93 
			 Barnet 156.51 101.78 
			 Bexley 126.23 87.71 
			 Brent 156.49 118.91 
			 Bromley 130.08 86.42 
			 Camden 156.82 100.86 
			 City of London 135.93 83.43 
			 Croydon 137.64 86.59 
			 Ealing 151.34 110.77 
			 Enfield 144.75 113.53 
			 Greenwich 125.21 78.15 
			 Hackney 151.74 90.88 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 156.85 97.79 
			 Haringey 131.86 121.78 
			 Harrow 163.10 109.31 
			 Havering 114.10 71.75 
			 Hillingdon 140.75 108.43 
			 Hounslow 139.06 86.48 
			 Islington 141.71 90.18 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 196.59 109.51 
			 Kingston upon Thames 144.90 99.91 
			 Lambeth 122.30 91.09 
			 Lewisham 158.32 81.54 
			 Merton 153.14 78.64 
			 Newham 137.18 132.60 
			 Redbridge 140.82 132.35 
			 Richmond upon Thames 149.38 88.76 
			 Southwark 127.50 80.78 
			 Sutton 133.38 77.90 
			 Tower Hamlets 161.49 97.04 
			 Waltham Forest 115.44 91.93 
			 Wandsworth 192.46 97.76 
			 Westminster 197.87 135.70 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated. 2. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. 3. Average amounts are rounded to the nearest penny. 4. From February 2007, DWP has been collecting more detailed HB/CTB data electronically from local authorities. Over time this will improve the accuracy, timeliness and level of detail available in the published statistics. However, until the new data have been fully quality assured to National Statistics standards, the most recent summary statistics available are for August 2007.  Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. case load stock-count taken in August 2007.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Employment Schemes

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of jobseeker's allowance claimants started a work trial in each of the last six months.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what proportion of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) claimants started a Work Trial in each of the last six months. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Please find attached at Annex 1 the number of JSA customers who started Work Trials compared to the number of customers claiming JSA in each of the last six months.
	Work Trials and other successful policy interventions have contributed to an average of 269,000 people leaving JSA each month in the past 6 months.
	
		
			  Annex 1-proportion of JSA customers who started a work trial 
			  Month  Number of JSA customers starting work trial  Number of customers claiming JSA  Proportion of JSA work trial starts  (percentage) 
			 December 2008 1,397 1,117,540 0.001 
			 January 2009 1,491 1,243,085 0.001 
			 February 2009 1,967 1,416,238 0.001 
			 March 2009 2,365 1,478,222 0.002 
			 April 2009 1,845 1,510,781 0.001 
			 May 2009 2,837 1,516,952 0.002 
			  Source: BOXI management information, NOMIS

Pensioners: Poverty

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point were in relative poverty in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: The data source does not allow us to provide robust numbers for estimates below the level of Government office region.
	PSA17 includes a range of indicators related to low income for pensioners. These are relative low income (below 50 and 60 per cent. contemporary median household income), and absolute low income (below 60 per cent. of 1998-99 median income uprated in line with prices), all measured after housing costs have been taken into account.
	Latest information for east of England, Government office region, is based on three year averages. There were around 0.2 million pensioners in the east of England below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income threshold between 2001-04 and 2005-07. During the same period, around 0.1 million pensioners in the east of England were below 50 per cent. of contemporary median income threshold.
	However, between 2001-04 and 2005-07, the percentage of pensioners in the east of England being below the 60 per cent. of contemporary median income, after housing costs, has fallen from 25 per cent. to 16 per cent. The number of pensioners in relative poverty has remained unchanged due to the increase in the pensioner population in the east of England.

Social Security Benefits

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value of all benefit payments made to residents of  (a) the Vale of York and  (b) England was in (i) 1980, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2001, (iv) 2005 and (v) 2008.

Helen Goodman: The requested information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the average annual sum lost as a result of benefit fraud in Alicante; what the objectives of her Department's campaign against benefit fraud in Alicante are; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: Information relating to the annual sum lost as a result of benefit fraud in Alicante is not available.
	There are estimated to be over a million British people living in Spain, and while the vast majority are law abiding citizens, there will unfortunately be a small minority committing benefit fraud. The objectives of our campaign in Spain are:
	To raise awareness of fraud abroad; and,
	to track down benefit thieves abroad.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to answer question 274721, tabled on 12 May 2009, on maintenance payments.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 4 June 2009
	 I replied to the hon. Member's question on 13 July 2009,  Official Report, column 52W.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to provide a substantive answer to Question 274721, tabled on 7 May 2009, on child maintenance.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 2 July 2009
	 I replied to the hon. Member's question on 13 July 2009,  Official Report, column 52W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Calais

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the objectives were of the Minister for Immigration's recent visit to Calais; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The UK continues to face significant pressure from illegal migrants attempting to reach our shores from the Channel and North sea coast of France. This continuous pressure calls for determined, mutual effort to tackle illegal immigration by the UK and France.
	At the UK-France summit in Evian on 6 July, the UK agreed to invest a further £15 million to strengthen United Kingdom border controls at Calais, and other juxtaposed controls in France. The French and British Governments declared a joint commitment to effect a significant increase in enforced return of illegal migrants through their national programmes and through joint returns activity as appropriate.
	A copy of the Franco-British declaration on Immigration has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Departmental Contracts

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which services his Department has outsourced in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office has not outsourced any of its services within the last five years.

Departmental Data Protection

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to each  (a) database and  (b) ICT system run by his Department in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many successful attempts were made to gain unauthorised access to each  (a) database and  (b) ICT system run by his Department in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The security policy framework, the data handling report and the national information assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handles and put in place a set of mandatory measures to which Departments must adhere.
	It is not in the interest of the security of the department, or that of the public, to disclose detailed information relating to electronic breaches of security of departmental IT systems. Disclosing such information would carry a significant risk of enabling criminals and those who would attempt to cause disruptive threats to the department to deduce how to conduct attacks and therefore potentially enhance their capability to carry out such attacks.
	To help defend against electronic attack, it is standard good information security practice not to comment on such incidents.

Departmental Databases

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information databases his Department  (a) maintains and  (b) uses which do not contain personal information.

Phil Woolas: In line with the Hannigan recommendations, the Home Office holds a register of information assets. Any Home Office information asset register/database which contains personal data adheres to the Data Protection Act.
	The information requested would require contacting each information asset owner and asking them to provide any relevant information as appropriate. To identify accurately all Home Office information databases and their uses which do not contain personal information would take significant resource time to undertake and complete. This information can therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Databases

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what categories of personal information on members of the public are contained on each database which contains such data managed by his Department and its agencies; when each category of information was first collected; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what databases managed by his Department and its agencies hold personal information on members of the public; on what date each such database became operational; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  which of the planned databases that will be managed by his Department or one of its agencies and which will hold personal information on members of the public are expected to become operational in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what categories of personal information on members of the public will be held on each of his Department's and its agency's databases expected to become operational in the next five years; what estimate he has made of the likely number of individuals' details each such database will hold when fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: In line with the Hannigan recommendations, the Home Office holds a register of information assets. Any Home Office information asset register/database which contains personal data adheres to the Data Protection Act.
	The information requested would require contacting each information asset owner and asking them to provide any relevant information as appropriate. To identify accurately all Home Office databases and categories of personal information would take significant resource time to undertake and complete. The information requested can therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) photocopiers,  (b) scanning devices and  (c) fax machines, excluding multi-function devices, there are in his Department; how many there were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: There is not a central register of these items as they are purchased by local business units and to provide an answer to this question would incur costs in excess of the threshold.

Departmental Internet

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department plans to update its web browsers from Internet Explorer 6.

Phil Woolas: For Home Office core, the United Kingdom Border Agency and the Criminal Records Bureau, there is a project under way that includes the upgrade from Internet Explorer 6; the current timing for this part of the project is February 2010.
	IPS has recently signed a 10-year application and enrolment contract with Computer Science Corporation for the provision of IT services including desktop. As part of this contract, there is an 18-month programme called Technical Transformation within which there are several components including the roll-out of a new standard desktop.
	Deployment of this new desktop, which includes Internet Explorer 7, is due to take place in a phased approach around the middle of 2010. A precise date for the start of this new desktop roll-out has not yet been agreed.

Departmental Lost Property

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many laptop computers belonging to  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been lost or stolen in the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office can provide information on lost and stolen laptops only from 2005 onwards. In 2005, 14 laptops were lost/stolen but it has not been possible to provide a breakdown of this figure by Department/agency. The remaining information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Lost/stolen laptops 
			   Home Office core  UKBA  IPS  CRB 
			 2006 5 8 1 0 
			 2007 6 8 1 0 
			 2008 8 13 8 0

Departmental Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) BlackBerry devices and  (b) mobile telephones have been lost by (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005.

Phil Woolas: Reports of losses by civil servants and special advisers are not recorded separately.
	
		
			  Blackberries 
			   2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Ministers (1)- 0 0 0 
			 Civil Servants and Special Advisers (1)- 8 9 (1)- 
		
	
	
		
			  Mobiles 
			   2005  2006  2007 
			 Ministers 0 0 0 
			 Civil Servants and Special Advisers 26 7 43 
			 (1) Less then 5. Where there have been less then five such cases it is the policy of the Home Office to suppress this information on grounds of confidentiality. 
		
	
	The figures for lost mobile telephones in 2008 are currently unavailable and we will inform the hon. Member when available.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of his Department's capital underspend in 2009-10; and how much of that sum he proposes to return to the Exchequer.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office, as with other Departments, has regular discussions with the Treasury about its financial needs. These discussions cover the financial challenges facing the Department and include the resources associated with major programmes and whether there may be the risk of either over or underspending.

Departmental Work Experience

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid graduate internships his Department has awarded in each of the last six months.

Phil Woolas: The information requested on paid and unpaid graduate internships is not currently recorded centrally in the Home Office or its agencies. Internships are authorised and organised locally by managers in business units.
	The Home Office provides around 30 placements annually, during July through September, to graduates and undergraduates who are from a minority ethnic background and/or have a registered disability, through the civil service fast stream summer placement schemes. They are paid an allowance at executive officer minimum rate.

Deportation: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals resident in  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) the London borough of Bexley were deported in each of the last five years; and how many of those had committed a crime in the UK.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The chief executive of the UK Border Agency has regularly written to Home Affairs Select Committee in order to provide them with all the robust and accurate information available relating to foreign national criminals. Copies of these letters are available in the Library of the House.

Deportation: Democratic Republic of Congo

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports his Department has received on the safety of deportees removed to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last two years.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 14 July 2009
	The UK Border Agency continually monitors the situation in asylum claimants' countries of origin by making reference to a wide range of authoritative, publicly available sources.
	In addition, the UK Border Agency works closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to ensure that it has the best available information. The British embassy in Kinshasa speaks regularly with a network of local contacts about the treatment of failed asylum seekers on return to the Democratic Republic of Congo and will make inquiries about any specific allegations that arise. This network includes Congolese non-governmental organisations, Congolese civil servants and Government Ministers, and colleagues from other embassies in Kinshasa.

Entry Clearances

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the visa enquiry section of the British Consulate in Cairo plans to reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West of 11 June 2009 on Manal Mohmed Abdalla.

Phil Woolas: Visa staff at our visa section in Cairo have no record of receiving a letter from the hon. Member concerning Miss Abdalla. The only letter from the hon. Member visa staff have seen was part of an appeal bundle received from the applicant, addressed to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in the UK. The AIT is independent of the UK Border Agency and handles its own correspondence.

Entry Clearances

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what explanation his Department has received from the British High Commission in Delhi on its refusal to issue a visa to Harvinder Singh Bhandal, ref 2572710; and whether his Department has issued further guidance to the High Commission on this case subsequent to the initial approval of the application.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 3 July 2009
	I have seen the reasons for refusal as set out in the refusal notice, which in my view is comprehensive.

Entry Clearances

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the decision to refuse entry clearance to Mr McDonald Adolphus Lewis, ref GV100/145918; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: I regret to inform the hon. Member that any information contained in applications to the Home Office is treated as being confidential and is not normally disclosed to third parties. This is, of course, unless they are authorised representatives of the applicant. I hope that you will understand that this is not a question of secrecy for its own sake, but simply a matter of protecting the privacy of the individual.
	My Department is writing in confidence separately to the hon. Member.

Entry Clearances: Applications

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visa applications were  (a) received,  (b) issued and  (c) refused in each year from 1997 to 2008.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 30 March 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to the visa statistics published in UK Visas' annual reports for the financial years 2004-05 to 2007-08, available on our Visa Services website at:
	www.ukvisas.gov.uk
	Reliable data are not held for previous years.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for overseas student visas from people of each nationality were refused in each month (a) since 31 March 2009 and (b) between 31 March 2008 and 30 March 2009.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 18 June 2009
	The following table details how many applications for overseas student visas from people of each nationality were refused in each month  (a) since 31 March 2009 and  (b) between 31 March 2008 and 30 March 2009.
	
		
			   Reporting period 
			   2008  2009  
			  Nationality  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Grand total 
			 Afghanistan 15 47 28 27 30 45 33 31 20 23 31 15 14 21 6 8 394 
			 Albania 13 35 7 15 30 38 38 21 11 21 12 11 5 3 6 10 276 
			 Algeria 22 24 13 6 22 28 72 14 31 85 80 42 37 21 7 8 512 
			 Andorra - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - 0 0 
			 Angola 0 5 5 1 2 15 15 16 12 8 16 12 10 3 12 3 135 
			 Anguilla - - - - 0 - 0 - 0 - - - - - - - 0 
			 Antigua and Barbuda 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - - - 1 
			 Argentina 5 1 1 3 2 0 3 2 7 3 2 3 4 3 4 4 47 
			 Armenia 1 0 0 0 0 4 1 5 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 1 17 
			 Australia 2 0 0 1 6 11 10 2 3 4 6 1 1 2 6 25 80 
			 Azerbaijan 0 4 2 0 5 5 7 8 1 9 5 1 0 1 0 5 53 
			 Bahamas - 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 6 12 
			 Bahrain 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 1 1 3 12 
			 Bangladesh 571 624 570 516 573 557 800 364 236 131 302 1,042 765 454 62 81 7,648 
			 Barbados 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 1 5 2 4 1 2 1 2 2 26 
			 Belarus 7 12 17 19 12 19 11 11 7 12 9 8 10 3 2 12 171 
			 Belize - 0 - 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 2 
			 Benin 1 0 2 1 6 2 7 3 3 2 7 3 1 2 1 3 44 
			 Bhutan - 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 - 1 0 0 0 - - 0 5 
			 Bolivia 3 2 5 3 2 1 5 4 8 12 8 4 6 6 6 10 85 
			 Bosnia And Herzegovina 1 1 0 1 3 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 13 
			 Botswana 17 13 17 13 13 16 16 11 3 3 8 3 4 1 0 0 138 
			 Brazil 131 84 91 69 98 102 75 67 101 44 113 66 108 71 136 117 1473 
			 British Citizen 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 - - - 5 
			 British Dependent Territories Citizen - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 British National Overseas 2 3 4 4 11 22 22 5 2 7 22 0 2 4 7 12 129 
			 British Overseas Citizen 0 1 - - 0 0 0 - - - - - - - - - 1 
			 British Protected Person - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Brunei 0 - - 0 1 0 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 - 0 0 8 
			 Bulgaria - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Burkina 0 0 2 1 1 4 3 1 0 3 0 0 2 - - 0 17 
			 Burma (Myanmar) 22 18 13 22 12 17 32 13 8 22 33 14 6 4 18 2 256 
			 Burundi 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 - - 0 8 
			 Cambodia 1 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 3 9 
			 Cameroon 49 64 37 51 38 122 247 120 52 78 83 33 59 13 12 35 1093 
			 Canada 2 3 2 2 4 8 16 7 1 6 4 2 4 0 10 26 97 
			 Cape Verde 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 - - 1 - 2 0 - - 5 
			 Cayman Islands 0 - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Central African Republic 1 1 0 - 0 0 - 1 0 2 0 0 1 - 0 0 6 
			 Chad 0 1 1 - 0 0 2 1 2 2 2 1 - - 1 0 13 
			 Chile 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 5 2 10 6 1 2 34 
			 China 480 542 546 584 838 1,134 1,223 499 482 535 503 318 250 294 445 317 8990 
			 Colombia 46 66 37 71 81 82 95 45 44 55 61 54 110 74 168 108 1,197 
			 Comoros - 1 - - - - 1 1 0 1 1 - - 0 - - 5 
			 Congo 13 13 7 8 8 19 42 35 24 22 18 14 11 8 3 3 248 
			 Costa Rica - 0 - 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 1 0 0 - - 0 1 
			 Croatia 1 2 3 3 3 0 4 1 0 0 4 2 3 1 0 0 27 
			 Cuba 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 0 0 3 2 1 0 0 20 
			 Cyprus - - 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 - 1 - - 1 6 
			 Czech Republic - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Democratic Republic of Congo 3 1 8 6 8 17 12 7 2 5 4 6 2 4 1 4 90 
			 Denmark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 - 0 
			 Djibouti - - - - 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 - - 6 
			 Dominica 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 - 0 1 0 8 
			 Dominican Republic 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 4 0 0 2 0 1 13 
			 Ecuador 10 7 13 12 12 6 10 12 0 19 15 9 4 5 5 23 162 
			 Egypt 7 14 8 9 19 28 35 24 3 5 21 15 16 25 29 36 294 
			 El Salvador - - - 0 1 0 0 - 0 0 0 2 - 0 0 0 3 
			 Equatorial Guinea 0 1 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 1 1 0 1 - - 0 11 
			 Eritrea 0 0 1 3 2 3 1 1 0 2 1 4 4 0 - - 22 
			 Estonia - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 
			 Ethiopia 2 2 2 1 2 10 23 2 5 5 2 4 3 1 1 7 72 
			 Fiji 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 4 1 0 - - - 10 
			 Gabon 2 0 - 2 - 0 8 5 4 2 3 1 3 1 - - 31 
			 Gambia 20 54 18 41 53 71 130 61 15 40 144 52 55 11 25 24 814 
			 Georgia 21 22 10 8 18 24 25 32 20 12 26 35 16 21 3 9 302 
			 Ghana 63 68 57 71 134 217 397 146 50 65 152 68 63 16 12 23 1,602 
			 Greece - - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - 0 
			 Grenada 0 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 - 1 0 1 10 
			 Guatemala 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 - - 3 
			 Guinea 15 12 8 10 7 16 22 25 22 16 8 12 21 2 6 3 205 
			 Guinea-Bissau 2 0 0 0 3 4 2 1 0 0 0 1 - - - - 13 
			 Guyana 1 1 0 0 1 0 7 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 17 
			 Haiti 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 1  0 - 1 1 8 
			 Honduras 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 - - 0 1 2 
			 Hong Kong 3 2 0 8 9 16 19 6 0 4 8 0 1 7 14 27 124 
			 Iceland - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 India 616 721 707 662 983 1,263 1,761 1,127 829 751 1,857 2,127 1,106 1168 851 2,050 1,8579 
			 Indonesia 1 5 3 7 9 6 6 9 3 3 12 2 2 11 2 9 90 
			 Iran 123 79 51 77 80 82 111 126 79 118 101 110 102 87 59 64 1,449 
			 Iraq 22 24 7 14 18 20 15 18 13 15 6 5 7 6 6 19 215 
			 Israel 5 7 8 6 9 4 14 9 5 0 7 3 1 1 2 3 84 
			 Italy - - - - - 0 - 0 - - - - 0 - - - 0 
			 Ivory Coast 8 15 13 11 6 11 27 15 14 15 20 14 18 4 6 3 200 
			 Jamaica 4 4 12 5 15 14 39 12 2 5 4 6 5 2 0 6 135 
			 Japan 5 2 0 3 1 8 5 3 3 4 5 4 6 9 243 128 429 
			 Jordan 14 11 10 3 11 25 29 16 10 10 9 2 4 7 8 6 175 
			 Kazakhstan 7 7 5 1 24 37 27 22 2 6 12 14 13 16 11 23 227 
			 Kenya 27 22 10 17 37 93 151 38 18 39 53 18 21 13 3 7 567 
			 Kiribati - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 1 0 1 
			 Korea (North) - - - - 0 0 0 - 0 0 - - 0 - - 0 0 
			 Kosovo 0 - - 0 0 0 0 - - 0 7 3 4 5 7 3 29 
			 Kuwait 2 2 1 3 2 36 43 25 3 6 9 1 2 8 16 22 181 
			 Kyrgyzstan 15 6 6 6 14 13 11 13 3 11 11 9 27 7 3 7 162 
			 Laos 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 1 0 - - - - - - - 1 
			 Lebanon 6 9 1 1 10 9 13 11 6 3 6 6 3 1 6 5 96 
			 Lesotho - - 1 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 10 
			 Liberia 2 2 0 0 0 5 5 4 3 1 1 0 0 1  0 24 
			 Libya 63 73 43 48 69 66 82 65 43 59 63 102 112 120 180 70 1,258 
			 Macau 1 0 0 0 1 1 4 1 - 0 1 0 0 - - - 9 
			 Macedonia 0 2 12 2 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 8 31 
			 Madagascar 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 9 
			 Malawi 53 29 21 31 39 64 69 40 17 47 27 19 16 6 4 3 485 
			 Malaysia 36 54 49 52 105 176 200 52 35 41 33 28 26 29 81 61 1,058 
			 Maldives 2 0 3 0 7 8 3 1 1 2 2 7 0 1 2 3 42 
			 Mali 7 2 2 4 3 5 0 5 6 9 3 7 2 1 5 2 63 
			 Mauritania 1 0 - 0 0 5 2 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 0 3 17 
			 Mauritius 52 49 17 34 33 65 78 31 15 39 35 38 24 11 10 13 544 
			 Mexico 6 32 12 14 33 16 59 2 23 18 20 11 6 6 6 90 354 
			 Moldova 13 4 7 6 7 13 13 14 10 8 3 2 10 2 3 6 121 
			 Monaco - - - - 0 0 0 - - - - 0 0 - - - 0 
			 Mongolia 108 107 57 54 69 102 103 73 72 33 81 59 16 46 7 36 1,023 
			 Montenegro - - - - 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 - 0 1 5 
			 Morocco 5 4 2 9 2 24 21 12 14 9 17 10 10 15 40 20 214 
			 Mozambique 2 5 4 0 6 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 24 
			 Namibia 1 0 0 0 3 5 3 1 1 3 2 3 1 0 1 0 24 
			 Nauru 0 - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 
			 Nepal 330 169 151 129 121 171 136 97 48 44 149 82 61 29 55 298 2,070 
			 New Zealand 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 2 7 20 
			 Nicaragua 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 - - 0 - 4 
			 Niger 1 2 1 1 4 2 6 6 3 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 33 
			 Nigeria 901 777 708 646 2,447 3,033 4,023 1,311 861 1,810 2,542 1,136 1,188 673 315 333 2,2704 
			 Niue - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - 0 
			 None 0 - - - - 1 0 - - - 0 0 - - - - 1 
			 Norway - 0 0 0 0 - - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Oman 0 0 0 0 0 6 4 1 3 0 4 1 0 1 0 1 21 
			 Pakistan 1,245 2,141 1,608 885 1,506 2,061 2,737 2,385 1,637 1,239 3,063 2,953 2,090 1,006 356 376 2,7288 
			 Palestinian Authority - - - 0 - 0 0 - - - - - 0 - - - 0 
			 Panama 0 1 0 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 2 14 
			 Papua New Guinea - - - - 0 0 0 0 - - 1 0 - - - - 1 
			 Paraguay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 1 1 0 - - - 2 
			 Peru 12 6 6 5 10 5 5 3 4 17 12 5 8 9 12 28 147 
			 Philippines 99 192 172 145 236 388 597 505 724 484 580 489 586 351 357 174 6,079 
			 Pitcairn Islands 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Poland - 0 1 - 0 0 - - - - - - - - - - 1 
			 Portugal - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Qatar 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 10 13 9 37 
			 Refugee (Art 1 1951 Convention) - - 0 0 2 0 - - - - - - - - - - 2 
			 Romania - - - 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0 - - - - - 0 
			 Russia 24 62 40 49 68 97 129 71 52 75 58 45 60 28 23 42 923 
			 Rwanda 0 1 2 1 3 4 6 1 0 4 3 5 3 1 1 0 35 
			 San Marino - 0 - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 
			 Sao Tome and Principe - 0 - 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 - - 6 
			 Saudi Arabia 5 15 16 11 33 19 31 12 12 7 13 27 34 32 193 251 711 
			 Senegal 16 15 9 3 16 5 15 21 4 39 33 13 17 4 13 8 231 
			 Serbia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 1 6 
			 Seychelles - - - - - - 0 - 1 0 1 0 1 0 - 1 4 
			 Sierra Leone 23 28 20 15 22 60 68 36 16 34 46 30 22 9 11 6 446 
			 Singapore 0 4 2 5 24 49 25 6 2 3 5 3 6 2 4 8 148 
			 Solomon Islands - - - 0 - 0 - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Somalia 0 0 - 0 1 2 1 1 0 1 0 2 1 1 - 2 12 
			 South Africa 27 31 22 25 40 82 57 29 8 8 13 15 12 5 3 8 385 
			 South Korea 40 72 35 59 135 145 157 68 46 59 67 74 34 74 167 120 1352 
			 Sri Lanka 231 179 190 307 137 173 545 156 233 251 278 553 179 456 313 364 4,545 
			 St. Kitts And Nevis - - - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - - 0 0 - 0 
			 St. Lucia 1 0 1 2 2 3 6 3 2 4 0 1 1 0 0 2 28 
			 St. Vincent 1 0 1 1 0 2 1 0  0 3 0 0 0 0 1 10 
			 Stateless (Art 1 1951 Convention) 1 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 18 
			 Sudan 7 7 6 8 19 20 26 17 6 3 15 10 12 7 20 19 202 
			 Surinam - - - - 1 0 - - - 0 - - 0 - - - 1 
			 Swaziland 0 1 0 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 - - - - - 8 
			 Switzerland 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 Syria 8 11 7 12 15 26 34 25 34 18 16 21 18 6 12 10 273 
			 Taiwan 1 2 1 1 2 0 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 4 5 9 31 
			 Tajikistan 1 1 0 0 4 3 4 6 1 3 1 2 1 2 0 1 30 
			 Tanzania 21 38 40 28 34 102 193 112 86 68 121 57 61 18 3 10 992 
			 Thailand 59 71 76 112 129 92 121 100 64 62 87 86 78 63 74 122 1,396 
			 Togo 1 2 0 4 3 3 7 3 1 4 2 2 2 0 0 0 34 
			 Tonga - - - 1 0 0 0 0 0 - - - 0 - - - 1 
			 Trinidad And Tobago 0 2 4 1 5 1 5 4 2 10 4 2 3 1 2 10 56 
			 Tunisia 2 1 3 0 4 4 5 11 2 4 2 2 3 7 3 5 58 
			 Turkey 157 74 125 109 122 142 194 173 102 133 163 178 252 67 128 106 2,225 
			 Turkmenistan 8 26 9 6 8 7 21 17 28 15 4 15 10 2 9 1 186 
			 Tuvalu - - - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - 0 
			 Uganda 34 30 25 24 52 94 129 100 36 41 88 53 61 26 12 21 826 
			 Ukraine 25 58 10 21 26 43 44 31 16 17 13 12 18 9 10 19 372 
			 United Arab Emirates 1 2 0 0 2 1 1 1 5 2 2 0 0 7 2 2 28 
			 United Nations - - - - 0 0 - - 0 0 0 - - - - - 0 
			 United States 5 14 19 32 45 40 54 24 18 79 62 19 15 48 157 224 855 
			 Unspecified Nationality 12 5 3 5 11 11 11 9 6 6 9 5 2 3 0 2 100 
			 Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 0 2 1 5 
			 Uzbekistan 87 131 257 169 331 70 60 174 82 74 47 171 86 14 18 18 1789 
			 Vanuatu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 - 0 
			 Venezuela 5 4 2 6 5 12 15 10 0 15 12 12 16 3 22 21 160 
			 Vietnam 26 28 16 26 50 69 90 51 35 44 28 33 14 21 18 24 573 
			 Western Samoa - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - 0 
			 XXC - 0 0 - 1 0 1 0 0 1 - - - - - - 3 
			 XXH 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 4 11 
			 XXP 4 11 7 8 7 18 14 12 6 6 3 13 6 3 3 2 123 
			 Yemen 11 17 7 8 12 16 19 13 14 19 8 25 12 16 8 12 217 
			 Yugoslavia 3 4 2 6 6 4 4 2 5 2 5 5 6 2 1 1 58 
			 Zambia 23 32 24 24 15 36 53 22 9 27 24 18 17 10 12 7 353 
			 Zimbabwe 26 28 20 47 53 104 95 53 19 41 36 38 34 15 20 13 642 
			 Grand total 6,253 7,336 6,258 5,627 9,457 1,2087 1,6151 9,067 6,673 7,324 1,1782 1,0705 8,206 5,728 4,968 6,349 13,3971 
			  Note: The data is unpublished and should be treated as provisional.  Source: CRS data 13 July 2009

Foreign Workers

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for a work permit on the basis of an intra-company transfer in respect of non-UK nationals were  (a) made and  (b) granted in the first two quarters of 2009.

Phil Woolas: The table shows the number of work permit applications made and approved for intra-company transfers in the first two quarters of 2009.
	
		
			   Q1  Q2  Total 
			 Applications made 530 515 1,045 
			 Applications approved 435 510 945 
			  Notes:  1. Number of individual work permit intra-company transfer applications received in each quarter during the period 1 January 2004 to 30 June 2009 and of those how many where approved.  2. Figures are rounded to nearest 5.  3. Because of rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown. 
		
	
	The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.
	The figures do not equate to the number of individual nationals who were granted permits because they include those applications approved to extend or amend an existing permit or where the individual has moved to another job with a different employer. Not all those who were granted a permit took up the job and some may have been refused entry clearance or further leave to remain.

Foreign Workers: Immigration Control

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-EU workers were given leave to remain  (a) as skilled workers under mechanisms in place prior to the implementation of the points-based immigration system and  (b) under Tier 2 of the points-based immigration system in each of the last 12 quarters for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 13 July 2009
	Information relating to non-EU workers given leave to remain as skilled workers prior to the introduction of the points-based system is set out in the table.
	Information on the points-based system will be published in August.
	
		
			  Figure 1: Number of non-EU HSMP and work permit LTR applications approved from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2009 by quarter 
			  Quarter  HSMP LTR  Work permit LTR  Total 
			 2006 Qtr 3 5,985 11,460 17,450 
			 2006 Qtr 4 7,065 14,375 21,435 
			 2007 Qtr 1 6,880 11,890 18,770 
			 2007 Qtr 2 4,385 9,705 14,095 
			 2007 Qtr 3 4,350 11,555 15,905 
			 2007 Qtr 4 4,760 10,815 15,580 
			 2008 Qtr 1 4,370 8,645 13,015 
			 2008 Qtr 2 780 9,615 10,395 
			 2008 Qtr 3 25 11,120 11,145 
			 2008 Qtr 4 20 11,200 11,220 
			 2009 Qtr 1 * 6,060 6,065 
			 2009 Qtr 2 * 740 745 
			 Total 38,625 117,190 155,815 
			 * Indicates 1 or 2 - Indicates nil  Notes: Figures are rounded to nearest 5. Because of rounding, figures may not add up to totals shown. 
		
	
	The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.

Forensic Science: Police

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces operate in-house forensic science services; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: All police forces use a mixture of in-house services and those provided by external forensic suppliers to carry out forensic work. For example, crime scene investigators, who will generally be employed by a force, may find fingerprints and material which may carry traces of DNA. The fingerprints are compared with IDENT1, the national fingerprint computer system, which produces a shortlist of possible matches. The shortlist is then examined by fingerprint experts who work for the force Fingerprint Bureau to confirm a match. Analysis of material to produce DNA profiles is done by forensic suppliers rather than in-house. In other areas of forensic work, the balance between in-house and external services will vary depending on the nature of the material examined and decisions made by forces. Details of the position in each police force are not held centrally.

Human Trafficking

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of human trafficking have been recorded in  (a) the UK and  (b) the north-east in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: Figures provided by the UK Human Trafficking Centre indicate that within the UK there have been a total of 384 people dealt with by the criminal justice system on arrest for human trafficking. A total of 106 people have been arrested for trafficking for sexual exploitation, three for conspiracy to traffic and seven for trafficking for forced labour.
	Of these, seven people have to date been arrested within the north-east with two convicted of human trafficking.

Identity Cards

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to hon. Members on request a provisional identity card document to enable passport-free travel to and from other EU member states.

Phil Woolas: From autumn 2009, we will issue voluntary identity cards valid for travel in Europe to airside workers at Manchester and London City airports and to British citizens aged 16 and over resident in Greater Manchester at a fee of £30.
	We intend then to extend the rollout of identity cards to the rest of the north-west in the new year and from 2012 we will start to issue identity cards in high volumes alongside passports, offering everyone the choice of being issued with an identity card or a passport or both documents.

Immigration Controls

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants entered the UK under tier 2 of the points-based system in 2008.

Phil Woolas: During 2008, a total of 91 visas were issued to non-EEA nationals for entry to the UK under tier 2 of the points-based system. Tier 2 was introduced on 27 November 2008.
	These data are unpublished and should be treated as provisional.

Immigration Controls

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals have been prevented from entering the UK on grounds of  (a) national security,  (b) unacceptable behaviour, (c) public order and  (d) serious criminality since July 2005.

Phil Woolas: A decision to prevent entry to the UK may be made at the entry clearance application stage, or when a person arrives at the port of entry. Additionally, prevention of entry on grounds of criminality may include foreign national prisoners who have either been deported from, or removed and subsequently excluded from, the United Kingdom.
	There are no centrally held records that encompass the total number of foreign nationals who have been prevented from entering the UK, but I can confirm that since July 2005 the Home Secretary has excluded 163 individuals from the UK on the grounds of national security and 106 individuals on the grounds of unacceptable behaviour.
	I can also confirm that 2,852 individuals were refused entry at the UK border on non-conducive grounds between 2005 and 2008. Figures for 2009 will not be published until the end of year.

Immigration: Biometrics

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which British diplomatic posts  (a) have and  (b) do not have biometric identification facilities.

Phil Woolas: There are both British diplomatic missions and biometric collection facilities in the following countries:
	Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq(1), Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
	There are British diplomatic missions but no biometric collection (or visa issuing) facilities in the following countries: Afghanistan, Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Guinea, Kosovo.
	(1 )Iraq: Baghdad and Erbil operate a limited biometric capture facility for specified categories of applicant.

Police: Badge Numbers

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department issues guidance to police authorities on the display of badge numbers by police officers at public protests.

David Hanson: holding answer 1 July 2009
	All police officers are subject to the standards of professional behaviour that are set out in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2008. These regulations set out the standards of behaviour expected of police officers and include the requirement that officers abide by police regulations, force policies and lawful orders.
	Any breach of the standards may lead to disciplinary action being taken against an officer, which in the most serious cases can result in dismissal from the service.

UK Border Agency: Consultants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 459-62W, on the UK Border Agency: public consultation, how many management consultancies have held contracts with the UK Border Agency in the last three years.

Phil Woolas: Over the last three years, 36 management consultancies have held contracts with the UK Border Agency. This number excludes any consultancies providing services via the civil service wide contractual framework agreements or through the Office of Government Commerce, as this would not amount to a contract held with the UK Border Agency. Information on those arrangements could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

UK Border Agency: Lost Property

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many laptops have been recorded lost, stolen or missing from the UK Border Agency and its predecessor organisations in each of the last three years; how many have subsequently been recovered; and how many of these incidents have happened following a breach of guidelines issued by his Department.

Phil Woolas: Figures on the number of laptops stolen, lost or missing from the UK Border Agency for the years when information is available, are provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Lost/stolen/missing  Recovered 
			 2006 8 0 
			 2007 8 0 
			 2008 13 5 
			 Total 29 5 
		
	
	To provide information on how many of these incidents took place following a breach of Home Office guidelines would require a review of each individual report, including validation with the individual and the business area involved. It is likely that this would take significant resource time to undertake and complete and could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.